rock climbing Xtreme

Kids With Guns

2012-03-01T18:20:00.009-08:00

Venezuela, February 2012

Amuri Tepui in the moonlight. All photos Copyrighted material- please don't steal

As it is with many expeditions, the most exciting and dangerous moments on this trip had nothing to do with climbing. So it was, late one particular night. Four of us we’re crammed into the back of a Jeep, while our drunken, mad German tour guide was driving the wrong way down the sidewalk of a busy street in Ciudad Bolivar.

“Vee hav to go back to ze licka store!”

We hastily located our seat belts. We had been at the liquor store only a half an hour ago. Our German tour guide, who I’ll call Hans, had gone into the store and bought 4 beers. By the time he left the store he had already consumed 2 of them. He had cracked his first of the day at around 9am.

“Ah fack! Now my wife iz calling me. She is angry, I sink. I vill hav to get some viskey. Viskey makes me… aggressive. My wife… she duz not like zis.”

Venezuela seems to be devoid of any driving laws, resulting in absolute mayhem during all hours. The cost of gasoline is about 5 cents a gallon which adds to the havoc. This night was no exception, and the honking of the passing cars sounded like one never-ending horn. In between stops at the liquor store we had gone to the cemetery and waited while Hans stumbled around, drink in hand, looking for his mother-in-law’s late husband’s grave, so that he could change the flowers. All we had wanted was a quick trip to the grocery store. Back in the jeep, we watched in horror as Hans directed the car into oncoming traffic. Suggesting to Hans that we turn around prompted some incoherent response and a wave of the hand. We were committed.

This started as a climbing trip, so rewind about 30 days, and we were loading our gear into a Cessna 207 in the Ciudad Bolivar airport. George Ullrich (UK), Siebe Vanhee (BE), Sam Farnsworth (UK), and I had met up in Caracas on the 25^th of January. After escaping the “murder capitol of the world” un-stabbed and un-mugged, we were ready to head deep into the jungle. Off a tip we got from Jungle bigwall master John Arran, our goal was to check out the insanely steep Amuri Tepui- the main wall of which remained unclimbed. In our two Cessnas (we had too much gear for one plane) we flew from the chaos of Ciudad Bolivar two hours south to the small, incredibly remote village of Yunek. Populated by 100 or so Pemon indians, this community has gotten accustomed to seeing rock climbers fly in and land on their tiny, grass runway. Upon exiting the plane, we were met by a deep silence not often found in the modern world- just a soft, late afternoon breeze, as rays of sun spilled from behind Acopan Tepui.

We pictured being greeted by great hulking natives, ready to carry massive loads, while we sauntered across the savannah with comfy daypacks. It turns out that the tallest person in the tribe was no more than 5’ foot 3”. We would be doing some heavy lifting. Within an hour, we had 5 keen porters and a guide set to embark with us on the journey the next morning.

As the crow flies, Amuri Tepui is only 13 miles from Yunek, (according to our Google Earth research) but it would take us the next three full days across wide-open savannah and dark jungle to get to the wall. The porters, with machetes and fishing rods in hand, seemed happy to go on the adventure, and were fishing every night. The machete we brought, half as a joke, turned out to be invaluable for the trip. On the jungle approach, we would hack a notch into a tree every 50 feet or so, so we could find our way back without the guide. When we finally made it to the wall, we had to chop a trail through a dense swath of jungle not yet traveled by man, to reach our desired section of rock. The machete is incredibly effective in jungle travel and makes you feel really cool.

Machete session

The porters left us with our food, and full arsenal of big wall gear. We had 4 weeks to climb a new route on the wildest piece of rock any of us had ever seen. Standing at the base, looking up and out feels like you are in the trough of a 1600’ breaking wave- moments before being engulfed in its barrel. The centerpiece, rocketing off the top of the wall, is a waterfall (Salto Tuyuren), which gracefully plummets before crashing into the ground some 300 feet from the base of the wall.

We chose to attempt a line up the very middle of the wall, taking on the steepest rock, and several massive roofs. We of course, were hoping to free climb everything. The climbing was quite tricky from the start. The first pitch had us using triple ropes, nailing birdbeaks, and stacking knifeblades- it went free at 5.11. Three days of climbing later, we committed to the wall. The level of comfort we experienced while on the cliff made it hard to believe we were on an expedition- The temperature was almost always perfect, and we felt not a drop of rain due to the steepness of the wall. After 5 days on the wall we were about halfway up, having free climbed everything. The hardest pitch being an incredible 5.13a traverse that Siebe redpointed. Most of the climbing was easier than 5.12a, with a few HERO 5.10/5.11 pitches thrown in. EVERY single pitch was overhung. The following 3 days though, we made almost zero progress. The even steeper rock looming overhead, and limited food and water forced us to set aside our free climbing goals, so we could focus all our energy on getting to the top.

Angry birds

Hello friend...

I WILL EAT YOU!!!!

With morale low amongst the team, George pulled through a blank aid lead, with ten hook placements in a row. Our pace sped back up to a mind bending 2- 3 pitches a day, and we were aimed for the summit- every foot of progress bringing us closer to the waterfall. A few more days of aid climbing whippers, George ripping off the tip of his pinky, and me run-out, screaming like a girl on what was probably 5.10+ had us poised for the cumbre. With our last pack of cookies, and only a few liters of water to our names, we topped out in the dying light of the 18^th of February. We didn’t spend too long on the top, because we were being dive-bombed by a pterodactyl (it may have just been a massive bat). The next day we rapped the route, concluding or 12^th day on the wall.

Yay I'm so happy

George has resilient fingers

After a crippling hike back to Yunek, we thought the ordeal was over. But now, back to the jeep and our misadventure with the drunk German, we narrowly made it back to the liquor store. Hans, belligerent as a badger continued rambling.

“I don’t like viskey. Vis this… I am getting too drunk. I like vine. Vis vine I… I am opening a new flower… zis I sink iz much nicer.”

Two hours later, we were still alive and back at the campground. The ordeal was now over.

Kids With Guns- 5.13a, A3, 21 Pitches, took us a total of 15 climbing days to complete. We placed 6 bolts; four were for belays, and two as protection bolts. The route will almost certainly go free. We are not sure of the height of the wall, but it is in the neighborhood of 450m-500m. Our best estimate is that the wall overhangs a little over 300 feet, making our route one of the steepest in the world. I could not have picked three finer gentlemen to share this grand adventure with.

Note- The name we have given our route bears no relevance to us being young, or having big muscles, but rather to a song we had stuck in our heads for the duration of the trip.

Jungle Expedition 2012

2012-01-12T14:44:00.000-08:00

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.

More Moab

2011-11-13T12:01:00.000-08:00

The temps are getting cooler here in Moab, and the sends are heating up. In-between short periods of rain and snow I have been getting out climbing with various friends.

Crack climbing does not promote bone health. Photo- Florian Herla

Last week I lured le crack maitre Peewee to go check out a beautiful 5.13 finger crack near town. The Hidden Gem was first sent by my good friend Adam Ferro this past spring. Its a 70' pitch, overhanging from the ground to the anchor, going from tight fingers to thumbstacks. Without thinking, we decided to head up to this north facing wall on an arctic day. The rock was very cold, and after 25' of climbing, my fingers were completely numb. I continued climbing, blindly trusting each lock- I have never done so many moves in row with numb fingers. The most painful fit of screaming barfies ensued as my lifeless digits warmed back up- definitely one of my proudest onsights. Much respect to Adam for sending the FA.

The Hidden Gem. Photo Jean-Pierre Ouellete

Several days ago I was lucky enough to rope up with "wide boyz" Tom Randall and Pete Whittaker- the two brits who have been murdering the US's hardest offwidths, and establishing even harder ones. We went down to the White Rim in Canyonlands to a 50' roof crack they had found a week prior. It ended up being quite burly, as a 50' roof should, requiring some advanced chicken winging and arm bars to get thru the flaring wideness. One of the #6 camalots was so tipped that it rattled out of the crack as I nudged it with my foot. Spooky! After Pete flashed the first ascent (very impressive effort!), Tom and I both sent after a couple tries. Witness the Wideness checks in at around 12d/13a, and cost us a $75 parking ticket.

Tom Randall on Witness the Wideness

Bursting blood vessels in my head. Photo Pete Whittaker

Its raining now. Back to the White Rim soon...

The Desert

2011-10-24T11:10:00.000-07:00

I've been In Moab for 3 days now. The weather is beyond perfect, and new routes are already getting put down. I came out here with my Belgian friend Nico, and his girlfriend Argyro. After a quick stop in Vegas for sushi, and a few pitches at the VRG, we landed in Moab.

Yesterday, after changing my oil, we put up a beautiful new route at the Town Wall- Going to Hollywood 5.13-. The 35m pitch begins with a 5.11 corner, and after pulling a small roof, a flawless splitter continues for 40 feet. When the crack gets too small to fit fingers into, you bust right onto some bouldery face climbing for the final 15 feet.

All photos by Florian Herla

This is man work!

On the hunt

The splitter

Nico is a euro sport climber

But he can also crack climb

More FAs today...

Victory

2011-09-25T23:25:00.000-07:00

A big thanks to everyone who voted for our Venezuela expedition in the Berghaus Adventure Challenge- this recent victory will greatly help us fund the trip!

I'm in Yosemite Valley now, and have been getting out climbing in between short thunderstorms. Several days ago a few friends and I went up to climb Heaven; a stunning 12d roof crack way up on glacier point. Heaven sits perched atop 3000 feet of slab, overlooking Vernal and Nevada falls, as well as Liberty Cap, Half Dome, Mt. Watkins, Washington Column, and the Royal Arches. Its a nice view

Chugging my way to the top second go. photo- Pete Rhodes

This is my friend Alex. He flashed it... without a rope. photo- Mason Earle

In the next few weeks, Brad Gobright and I will head back up onto the Heart Route- making what will hopefully be our final bid to free climb the entire wall. We have been working on free-climbing the Heart Route for two years now, and have done all but one move- a massive 8 foot downward dyno. Most El Cap free routes seem to involve some monster dyno, but it may be possible to bypass the leap by tiptoeing thru some truly improbable micro edging. Time will tell.

Free climbing on El Cap often requires Xtreme shenanigans

VOTE TODAY!!

2011-09-19T15:05:00.000-07:00

So I'm back in Yosemite, doing some training. Since I left Squamish, I soloed the RNWF of Half Dome in 4+ hours, climbed the Nose in 4+, and flailed up freerider in 10+. Its been good training for the bigger projects to come this fall. More importantly tho, I'm planning an expedition to venezuela this fall with some friends, and if you go to this website:

http://www.berghaus.com/en/adventure-challenge/shortlists

you can vote for our expedition to receive some funding. Voting ends tomorrow, and although we are kicking ass in the lead at the moment, it is by no means a sure victory.

We want to go climb this....

Squamish

2011-08-12T16:58:00.000-07:00

The past month I have been in Squamish. I believe Jim Bridwell or someone once said that Yosemite was the "training grounds" for the greater ranges. Well, Squamish is sort of like the training grounds for Yosemite. In the same day one can climb big long free routes, go climb steep sport routes, and then have an evening of bouldering. There is an amazing amount of high quality, and accessible rock climbing to do here- great for getting fit. Lately I've been doing a lot of sport climbing, in an attempt to actually become a stronger climber, and managed to tick "Patience," a route the guidebook called 5.14a.

The Chief

Earlier today Alex Honnold and I set a new speed record for the Grand Wall, climbing from the base to the top of the Roman Chimneys in 59 minutes and 30 seconds- beating our good friends Will Stanhope and Jason Kruk's impressive record of 1 hour and 13 minutes.

I have also been working hard on trying to finish up the Cobra Crack. Yesterday I came stupidly close to sending, falling off the final move of the crux.

Falling off the Cobra from Mason Earle on Vimeo.

Thats about it.

Nose solo

2011-06-11T11:56:00.000-07:00

After a few weeks of rain and snow in Yosemite this spring, It was time to destroy some rock and do something sick. El Cap is by far the most bitch'n thing in the valley, but after all the precip, free climbing was temporarily out of the question. With various partners over the years I've climbed the Nose several times, and always thought it would be fun to try to solo it in a day. In high school, I watched the MoS segment of Dean Potter blazing up the nose in 12 hours a hundred or so times, and have since had it in my head that that was the pinnacle of sickness.

Late May in Yosemite

I first did a run up to dolt tower, and quickly realized how much work soloing entailed. What usually took under two hours, became a five hour pain in the ass. I gave up on the idea until resident wall ninja Aaron Jones lent me his rope soloing cord and a few pitches with the new rope had me re-psyched on the mission.

The day started with me trying to go to sleep at around 9. For whatever reason I couldn't fall alseep, and the time on my cell phone went from 10 to 11 to 2:30 until 3:30 when my alarm went off. Not stoked about not sleeping, I got up anyways and headed for the base of El Cap. I started climbing at 4:30, and a mixture of rope soloing, free soloing and "mega death looping" got me to dolt in 3:50. Psyched on a sub 16 hour pace, I kept raging, passing 6 parties. By Camp 5 I was starting to get pretty tired, but kept moving, and a few pitches from the top I realized I might top out before dark. I flipped the anger switch and started motoring, racing the sun. At the final bolt ladder, I threw the rope on my back and charged up the bolts to the rim as the sun set. I checked the watch at the tree that marks the top of the route: I had been climbing for 15:55. I believe i'm the 7th or 8th person to solo the Nose in a day. After a moment's contemplation on the summit, I made my way down the east ledges descent and went straight to bed.

Approaching the Boot flake party. Tom Evans Photo

Partying alone on Camp 5. Tom Evans Photo

More pics to come...

Hot Pork Sunday

2011-04-21T17:09:00.000-07:00

Hot Pork Sunday is an amazing two pitch splitter on Second Meat wall, in Indian Creek. The route was first climbed by Matt Lisenby, but to my knowledge the 40 meter second pitch was never freed. Swedish crack master Petter Restorp and I decided to check out the monster pitch this spring, and quickly realized it was quite difficult. The marathon pitch culminates with a wicked left leaning narrowing finger splitter. the featureless left wall further increases the desperate nature of the climb, forcing you to smear your left foot above your waist. Before he could send, Petter had to leave for Sweden, and tore off a huge chunk of his knuckle on his final go. I kept at it, falling off of the final move 3 consecutive times before finally sketching my way to the top. A big thanks to Sender Films for the rad pics!

Burt Bronson at the belay

entering the crux

ttssaahh!

Some rest day rope jumping

Jumping off Cliffs in Utah from Mason Earle on Vimeo.

Rage

2011-04-06T18:06:00.000-07:00

After a winter of skiing, swinging hammers and swilli'n whisky, I find myself back in the Moab desert. I flew into Durango two weeks ago to climb with old friends and get my car- since then its been full throttle raging.

The past week I've been down in the creek with a good crew. Yesterday my good friend from Sweden, Petter Restorp and I went up to a project on Second meat wall- a beautifull arching off-hands off-fingers splitter. We gave it a pretty good effort, deciding it was probably the hardest crack either of us had tried in the creek. As soon as our fingers heal, we'll have another bash at it, and hopfully get some better pics of the destruction.

An enthusiastic Petter jugs the first pitch on... The Proj

Todays activity Photo by Thomas Sloss

Jan with the ball 'n chain leash

Meanwhile, check out SoCal hardman Brad Gobright's blog here

Skiing

2011-02-02T16:13:00.000-08:00

I've been super stoked the past few days to be skiing up at Alta in Salt Lake City with my friend Holly. A storm rolled thru here monday, and we got about 16 inches of new snow- the makings for a pretty epic Tuesday. I've realized that skiing is a lot more fun, and much easier than rock climbing. Im not sure what this means, but here are a couple short clips of the shredding.

More Utah shots

2011-01-06T11:00:00.000-08:00

Here are a few awesome shots of the price of evil taken by the legendary Heinz Zak.

Bellyful of Bad Berries

Thanks Heinz! Check out www.heinzzak.com

Here in Massachusetts, things are smaller and not quite as exciting...

Unless you try to go skiing...

Fall 2010!

2010-12-09T17:25:00.000-08:00

This is a trip report of my fall in Yosemite and Utah. Enjoy!

Yosemite

The weather in the Valley this fall was not exactly Ideal. A couple of huge rainstorms soaked the Capitan to it's core, resulting in prolonged periods of seeping cracks and wet faces. This is what ultimately shut down our proj for the season, but we still made some great progress.
Over the past year, Brad Gobright and I have been working on a new free line on the west side of El Cap. The route will be an 8 pitch variation to the Huber's Golden Gate, leaving the Salathe 6 pitches earlier. The variation has a handful of difficult pitches that will make the route more direct and quite a bit harder than GG.
This October we went for a full redpoint attempt on the route. After 4 days on the wall, we had team freed up to the 23rd pitch; a short, steep, exposed arete that marks the final crux before joining GG. We quickly saw that it was dripping, no doubt from the torrential rain right before we got on the wall. After a day and a half of waiting and trying to dry the pitch we bailed, intending to return five days or so later when the pitch would be dry. Five days or so later brought even heavier rains, and with November near that was it for the season.

On the 12c roof pitch
Photo- Tom Evans

Brad about to lead the first 5.13 pitch

On a heady 12+ pitch

   On the 5.11R/X 24th pitch
   Photo- Tom Evans


   Inspired by my good friend Will Stanhope who sent the day before, I managed to nab an ascent of the painfull Sasquatch (a steep finger crack put up by Dean Potter) before I left the valley.

Sasquatch from Mason Earle on Vimeo.

Utah

   Once in Moab, my Israeli friend Amit and I got straight to business on an old Indian Creek project of mine. It was a route I found at Reservoir Wall in 2008 with Nico Favresse. Nico left before he could do it, and I couldn't link the crimpy less-than-tips moves on lead. After 2 days of work on it this November tho, I was able to send what we called Machete 5.13.

   Red Rocks

   I had to go to Vegas for a week, and while out there I got an onsight of the classic Desert Gold 5.13a. Sadly though, I have no pictures!


   Utah

   Next up was a project that had been haunting me since I first found it a year and a half ago. Its a second pitch offwidth roof right off the road near Blue Gramma cliff. I had given this route many tries, and destroyed a few pairs of pants and shoes. I was reluctant to get back on it, knowing how hard, painfull, and un-fun the pitch was, but after three more back breaking sessions, I finally fired the FA. I called it The Price of Evil 5.13-, a name Pamela Shanti Pack came up with, as she had come close to sending the route this spring.

   Photos- Brad Gobright

   The last few weeks of the trip was mostly spent highlining, but I did get out to send a few other nice routes. Had a nice day out at the Crackhouse with friends and some BASE jumping hooligans, sending it from the Potter traverse start. I also got to do the first free ascent of a really nice sport route on Potash road. My friend Ryan, who was on the FA team was nice enough to let me get on it. Horizontal Mambo-5.12d climbs the start of the popular Bad Moki Roof, then traverses right out the middle of the massive roof on awesome jugs, culminating with a sandy, insecure mantle. Definitely the steepest line on Potash. In near darkness after a couple sessions, I sent wearing a headlamp with dying batteries.
   The last send of the trip was Bushido-5.13, a massive underclinging arch first sent by Noah Bigwood. I headed up there with Canyon Cain, a local crusher, who by the age of thirteen has already sent 5.13 in the Creek. I gave it a solid onsight attempt falling at the final crux, 25 feet from the end. Canyons micro hands made the first half of the route a lot harder, but he made a solid effort. I returned a few days later for the redpoint, and what I think was the fourth or fifth ascent.

Bushido is the upper arch

Back in Mass now, its either Patagonia or plastic season, and I'm choosing plastic this round. Getting psyched for the spring.

M