Climbing 2014 09
Climbing 2014 09
TRAIN
SMART,
CLIMB
HARD
FOCUS & BREATHING
ROOF TECHNIQUES
REST & NUTRITION
CONQUER STEEPS
TECH TIPS
INCREASE
YOUR REACH
CALM YOUR
NERVES
REFINE
REDPOINT
STRATEGIES
CLIMB A GRADE
HARDER IN 4 WEEKS
PHOTO
EXCLUSIVE!
YOSEMITES
WILD
GOLDEN
DAYS
www.fjallraven.us | www.fjallravencanada.com
@fjallravenusa
CONTENTS
6
FLASH
34
Training
36
Nutrition
THE APPROACH
17
Editors Note
18
Letters
19
20
Re-Gram
39
Climbing-themed beers
to celebrate your send.
GEAR
THE CLIMB
26
28
32
GUIDE
Advice
45
CLINICS
Begin Here
46
In Session
48
Health
51
VOICES
52
54
Semi-Rad
88 THE
2 | SEPTEMBER 2014
FLOW
Cover photo by Glen Denny: Warren Harding and Bob Swift on Lost Arrow Chimney (5.10), Yosemite Valley, California.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: GLEN DENNY; BECCA CALDWELL; COURTESY ADIDAS ARCHIVE; ANDREW BURR; SAMUEL CROSSLEY; BEN FULLERTON (2); BRETT AFFRUNTI; SUPERCORN; COURTESY
Archives
ISSUE 328
Sarah Moore makes a big reach to a deep
pocket on Turn Your Head and Cough
(5.10c) in Missouris Trappers Camp crag.
70 Island Time
Does your idea of a
tropical island vacation include nonstop
sport climbing?
Then look no further
than Cayman Brac.
Jeff Achey travels to
our new favorite Caribbean paradise to
clip bolts and dodge
sea spray.
81 Myanmar
Only a couple of
years ago, a trip into
this corrupt country
would have been off
limits. Molly Loomis
journeys into this
recently opened destination in Southeast Asia to climb
and measure what
may be the regions
highest peak.
ANDREW BURR
56 Missouri Loves
Company
You read that right.
Midwest-born
Jeremy Collins takes
a journey up the
rivers of the
Show-Me State to
introduce us to a
surprising amount
of quality rock in an
unlikely destination.
Issue 328. Climbing (USPS No. 0919-220, ISSN No. 0045-7159) is published ten times a year (February, March, April, May, July, August, September, October, November, December/January)
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EDITORIAL
Editor
SHANNON DAVIS
Senior Editor
JULIE ELLISON
Digital Media Specialist
KEVIN CORRIGAN
Editor at Large
DOUGALD MACDONALD
Senior Contributing
Photographer
ANDREW BURR
Senior Contributing Editor
JEFF ACHEY
Contributing Editors
BRENDAN LEONARD, DAVE SHELDON,
ANDREW TOWER, CEDAR WRIGHT
Contributing Illustrators
SKIP STERLING, SUPERCORN
Staff Photographer
BEN FULLERTON
Tablet Media Specialist
CRYSTAL SAGAN
Design Intern
GIOVANNI CORRADO LEONE
Edit Interns
LESLIE HITTMEIER, CAROLINE MELEEDY
CLIMBING MAGAZINE
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Contributors: Visit climbing.com/contribute
Retailers: To carry CLIMBING magazine and
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contact Bonnie Mason: 1-800-381-1288
x95175.
MOST OF THE ACTIVITIES DEPICTED HEREIN
CARRY A SIGNIFICANT RISK OF PERSONAL
INJURY OR DEATH. Rock climbing, ice climbing,
mountaineering, backcountry skiing, and all other
outdoor activities are inherently dangerous. The
owners, staff, and management of CLIMBING do
not recommend that anyone participate in these
activities unless they are experts, seek qualied
professional instruction and/or guidance, are knowledgeable about the risks involved, and are willing
to personally assume all responsibility associated
with those risks.
2014. The contents of this magazine may not
be reproduced in whole or in part without consent
of the copyright owner. The views
herein are those of the writers and do not
necessarily reect the views of CLIMBINGs
ownership, staff, or management.
BUSINESS
Group Publisher
JEFF TKACH
[email protected]
Advertising Director
SHARON HOUGHTON
[email protected]
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CHARLOTTE SIBBING
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Western Account Managers
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MANAGED BY:
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SVP, CONTENT & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT | JONATHAN DORN
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FLASH
Dave Diegelman
Separate Reality
(5.11d), 1979
CLIMBING.COM
|7
FLASH
Royal Robbins
North America Wall
(A2 5.8), 1964
8 | SEPTEMBER 2014
John Bachar
Outer Limits
(5.10c)
CLIMBING.COM
|9
FLASH
10 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Alex Honnold
Chouinard-Herbert
(5.11c), 2011
CLIMBING.COM
| 11
FLASH
Werner Braun
Reeds Pinnacle Direct
(5.10a), late 1970s
12 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Chuck Pratt
Vernal Falls, 1968
CLIMBING.COM
| 13
FLASH
Warren Harding
Dawn Wall, 1970
14 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Gary Colliver
and Chris Jones
1969
Bill Westbay
Zodiac (A2 5.7), 1977
| 15
timeline productions
2014 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trade marks of the adidas Group. STEALTH is a trade mark of Stone Age Equipment, Inc.
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terrex scope gtx
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comfort and durable waterproof protection.
THE
APPROACH
CONTRIBUTORS
JEFF ACHEY
Colorado climbing legend Jeff
Achey has held more staff positions at Climbing mag than
anyone. From his current post
as senior contributing editor,
he les a misadventurous dispatch from tropical climbing
paradise Cayman Brac (p. 70).
Most would nd it hard to get
into as much trouble as I did.
JEREMY COLLINS
When Collins, a self-proclaimed
lover of good company, loose
rock, and oodplain sunsets,
called our office, stoked to tell
us about an amazing climbing
area wed never written about,
he had our attention. When
he said, Missouri! we almost
choked on our King Cobras.
But were glad we heard him
out. His story (Missouri Loves
Company, p. 56)and the accompanying photos by Andrew
Burrwill have you thinking
differently about climbing in
Middle America.
EDITORS NOTE
The Answer
You dont have control over where or when you were born
or what genetic dispositions you were born with, or much
of the stuff that comes after. Doesnt matter, just climb.
Maybe you scored and grew up in one of the climber towns on pages 28 and 88, climbed your age in V-grades, and learned to build an
anchor before you knew the multiplication tables. Maybe notno big
deal. Theres more rock out there than you can imagine (and fantastic
gyms everywhere); Answer Man has advice on nding a good partner; and
Robyn Erbeseld-Raboutou, one of the countrys best climbing trainers, designed a four-week strength and endurance program for you.
Maybe you just sent your summer project and are seeking a new challenge for the fall. Maybe not, but youve trained your ass off and feel like
youve hit a wallwell, no big deal. We talked to six elite climbers who felt
the same way, and theyve got some ideas for you.
Maybe youre the most psyched guy on the planet, offering belays and
beta with a genuinely hopeful smile and providing bits of historical climbing
knowledge. Maybe not, and you need that occasional psych boostno big
deal. In a partnership with REEL ROCK, the coolest climbing lm tour on
Earth, weve created the antidote to any mental slumpa gallery of some of
the most inspiring shots from Yosemites golden days.
Life has speed bumps here and there. Just keep climbing, and the rest
will fall into place.
Getting thirsty
HIGHLIGHTS
FROM THE
JOURNEY
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: ANDREW BURR; COURTESY; ANDREW BURR; COURTESY; ANDREW BURR; COURTESY
BY SHANNON DAVIS
MOLLY LOOMIS
As a mountain guide and park
ranger, Molly has put her Colorado College degree to good use
working in the mountains and
writing about them. Her work
has appeared in more than 50
publications, including The
Wall Street Journal, Discover,
Backpacker, The Boston Globe,
and even O! The Oprah Magazine. A fan of long rambles
and uncertain outcomes, she
writes of her rst ascent in
Myanmar for this issue (p. 81).
Recovering right
CLIMBING.COM
| 17
THE APPROACH
UNSOLICITED BETA
DIRTBAG DAYS
CRITIC MAN
MENTOR APPRECIATION
Words cannot express how excited
I was to see Aleksey Shuruyev in The
Mentorship Gap (May 2014). He was
my brothers and my rst climbing coach.
Training with Aleksey at the gym opened
up a world of opportunities and experiences for us. It made climbing a xture in
our lives instead of just a weekend event,
inspiring our lifelong obsession.
Meg Georgevits, via email
KEEP IN TOUCH
ARCHIVES
On The Cover
An unknown climber ascends the North Ridge of White Twin Spire
(5.7 R) in Garden of the Gods, Colorado. This stark, monotone
style would front the magazine until it was taken over by Bil Dunaway in January 1972, when full-color photos were introduced.
Mission Statement
In our rst, 24-page issue, Climbing began by declaring its reason
for being in what was considered at the time a crowded market:
@climbingmag
@climbingmagazine
OVERHEARD
If [truckers] lose concentration for a few seconds and veer off the highway at 80 miles an hour, they will
die, but do people consider that extremely risky? No. Because the risk is quite small.
Alex Honnold equates his big wall free-solos to driving an 18-wheeler for ABC News correspondent
Neal Karlinsky on Nightline. Karlinsky did not appear convinced.
Isnt nature peaceful?
Nature is f***ing METAL, dude!
Group of climbers blasting music at a beautiful and serene alpine bouldereld.
No money. No car. No home. Id free solo El Cap, but Im too afraid of fallingand surviving.
Professional dirtbag James Lucas after the sudden, unexpected demise
of his car and home, a Saturn station wagon.
18 | SEPTEMBER 2014
MAY 1970
PIRATE POWER
Answer Man responds: Climbing magazine has about as many words in each
issue as Ulysses, and nearly every one
of them is helpful, informative, and
positive. I provide a tongue-in-cheek
respite and at least a tiny bit of actual
good information in each answer. Our
non-curmudgeon friends might even
refer to it as humorous. Stop drinking
Haterade and have some fun.
Rumors are that [Camp 4] will re-open this spring with the addition of numbered campsites and parking places. Apparently the
old Camp 4, open to anyone who could nd the space to roll out
his sleeping bag, is to become a thing of the past.
Terra Incognita
In this issue, we highlight an unlikely destination: Missouri (p. 56).
In 1970, Climbing documented another unknown destination:
Hetch Hetchy, adjacent to Yosemite, which even today sees little
traffic and has no guidebook.
VERTICAL LINES
VIRTUAL DISCUSSION
If you could live in any climbing town in the U.S., where would it be?*
Most popular
write-ins:
Asheville, NC
Salt Lake
City, UT
Bozeman, MT
Boulder, CO
Other
Bishop, CA
Moab, UT
Leavenworth, WA
Chattanooga, TN
Lander, WY
North Conway, NH
New Paltz, NY
Fayetteville, WV
Other write-ins
that are not
towns:
In a van
in Yosemite
On El Capitan
Not sure?
Take our test on page 88 to
nd out where you belong!
GREAT VIEW.
TERRIBLE
COMMUTE.
35
*Source:
Climbing reader survey. Join at climbing.com/readerpanel.
RE-GRAM
Comments
Zip-off pants are great for
the North Cascades where
it shifts from clear skies to
apocalyptic in a single day.
Index Dirtbag 06/17/2014
2:13:54
I deeply resent the implication that zip-off pants are
anywhere near fanny packs
or LARPing on the dork
scale.
Jacob - 06/172014
3:53:49
Zip-off pants are amazing.
People who think they arent
should STFU and go back to
getting pumped on 5.6 slab.
Seasoned Chicken
Kebobs - 06/17/2014
4:30:59
Somebody better let
Mountain Hardwear know
that zip-off pants arent in
style. Also, The North Face.
Also, every other outdoor
company.
JD - 06/19/2014
2:24:40
CLIMBING.COM
| 19
THE APPROACH
OFF THE WALL
Climber Beers
7 perfect brews for post-send celebrations
BY KEVIN CORRIGAN
Mammoth Brewing Company
Offwidth
Snake Pro
Half Dome
Figure Eight
Brewing
Figure Eight
Brewing
Figure Eight
Brewing
Tioga-Sequoia
Brewing Company
The Perks of
Being a Brewer
We spoke with brewer and climber Adam Floyd
(right) of Mammoth Brewing Company, which
prides itself on embracing the outdoor lifestyle,
about what its like to make beer professionally in
the paradise of Mammoth Lakes, California.
Describe your job.
I make the beer. I lter the beer, and I take care of
it as it ferments.
How does one become a brewer?
I started as a home brewer. I was just making
beer for myself. And I was also a welder for a long
time. The head brewer wanted people that knew
brewing but also had other skills. Stuff is always
breaking down. Taking care of the machinery is
part of the job. An odd path perhaps, but it worked
out for me.
20 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Midnight
Lightning
Tioga-Sequoia
Brewing Company
Pirates Pils
(Yup, thats Ammon
McNeely)
Figure Eight Brewing
Its no secret that climbing and beer (in that order) are the perfect recipe for a good day. And while
beer has fully integrated itself into the climbing world, its rare for climbing to show its face in the beer
world. So we tracked down three breweries either owned or staffed with climbers to nd this selection of climbing-inspired beers and bottle labels: Californias Mammoth and Tioga-Sequoia breweries
each employ climbers in their brew rooms, and strangely enough, Indianas Figure Eight Brewing is
entirely climbing-themed.
DITCH THE
GUIDEBOOK
THE APPROACH
UNBELAY VABLE!
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meter peak in the world. Our new RED EAGLE LACE carries our legacy forward: its a high performance,
low volume rock shoe that excels on anything vertical or overhanging.
Top quality materials, branded components like VIBRAM XS-grip rubber, an extra-stiff midsole, a good
solid heel pocket and 6th toe area, and an anti-microbial lining its details like these that have earned
LOWAs reputation for building the worlds nest outdoor performance footwear now including rock shoes.
HANDCRAFTED IN EUROPE
To see LOWAs new line of rock shoes, visit www.lowaboots.com
NEW Red Eagle - Lace
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When pushing your limits, the last thing you want to think about is your
equipment. Thats our job. At Sterling Rope, we devote ourselves to developing
technical life-safety innovations that help protect you wherever the route leads.
Our new Nano IX (nine) is the latest example of that commitment. Designed
to perform flawlessly on sport routes, ice, or mixed conditions, this 9.0mm triple
threat is certified as a single, half, and twin rope. Its thermobalanced sheath and
new core makes it lean and mean - ensuring durable, consistent handling in all
conditions. Constructed using DryCore DryCoat and Better Braid Technology,
the Nano IX confidently surpasses expectations and leaves you with one less thing
to think about. Now, about this next pitch
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1-800-788-7673
26
24 | SEPTEMBER 2014
THE
Red River Gorge, Kentucky. Oliana, Spain. Kalymnos, Greece. Rie, Colorado. Geyikbayiri, Turkey. What do all these
world-class destinations have in common? The vein-bursting, forearm-bulging, and aggressively angled steep walls
that our tribe seeks as climbing challenges. Found in backcountry caves and on undercut canyon walls, this is the land
of the big send and the even bigger whipper. Here, Jorg Verhoeven nabs the rst ascent of Nordic Flower (5.14c/d)
in Flatanger, Norway, a proving ground for lovers of the steep. You cant muscle, tech, or fake your way through these
demanding overhangs, so weve compiled some of the best techniques, tips from the pros, and a four-week training
program that will have you clipping the chains on your fall sport climbing project before the leaves even start to
change. Follow it up with our perfect recovery meal, and youll be crushing even harder the very next day.
LIMB
PHOTO BY REINHARD FICHTINGER
CLIMBING.COM
| 25
THE
CLIMB
GUIDE
Were all children of our time, says
Reinhold Messner. I did what I could do
in my time, but Im far away from what
is done today. Pictured here on Everest,
Messner has many impressive and wellknown ascents that were well ahead
of his own time, including climbing
more than a dozen 8,000-meter peaks
without supplemental oxygen.
ADVICE
BY GRAEME GREEN
lens Mazeno Ridge traverse of Nanga Parbat. People who, like Messner,
didnt choose the easy route.
I would never have been able to climb Cerro Torre in Patagonia free,
without using bolts, like David Lama did, Messner says. I am very impressed and interested in seeing whats happening today because mountaineering is in a period of great change. Ninety percent of the people
going to the mountains today are tourists or sporty people. They climb
in the gym, and they do some very difficult climbing, but this is not what
Id call alpinism. Traditional adventure alpinism is a very limited activity
in these times. I have the greatest respect for these young climbers who
go back to tradition and true alpinism.
Like any septuagenarian, Messner thinks often about death and loss.
He feels fortunate to have made it this far. Messner lost his brother,
Gnther, and many friends on early expeditions. There are thousands
and thousands of people whove died in the mountains, Messner says,
solemnly. I cant defend an idea that has had so many deaths as a consequence. We cannot defend it, but we still go to the mountains. We
must be aware that danger is everywhere and in every second. Going
to the mountains is not conquering something. Its so we can feel like
were being reborn when were back in civilization.
1
COURTESY ADIDAS ARCHIVE; BEN FULLERTON (INSET)
PREPARATION
I always made a testament
before I went on an expedition: I knew I could die, but I
would ght like a lion to not
die. If I were to stay at home
forever because its dangerous to go to the mountains,
I would not be who I am
anymore. I need this activity.
And if the fears are too bleak
before going because Im not
perfectly prepared or my
equipment isnt just right, I
adjust it. I only go if I feel like
Im fully prepared.
2
BOOKING A ROUNDTRIP TICKET
When I was a young climber,
I looked for the most difcult routes, especially rock
climbing in the Dolomites
and the Alps. Later on,
when I climbed the highest
peaks, I tried to do it with
minimum equipment. That
ethic was more important
than the actual summit or
the route. Before and during
the activity, I strive to be
awake and aware of dangers.
The real art of climbing is to
come home safely.
PUSHING LIMITS
GOING SOLO
EMBRACING DANGER
CLIMBING.COM
| 27
GG UU II DD EE
CRAGS
Epicenter: Lander, WY
Teaming up with our friends at mountainproject.com, were creating the ultimate primers to our ountrys premier climbing
towns. In this issue, we spotlight one of the Wests most alluring and uncrowded areas. BY LESLIE HITTMEIER
26
189
20
2 problems
RODEO WALL
TITCOMB BASIN
AREA
LITTLE SENECA
LAKE
12 routes
10 routes
2 routes
26
26
MOOSEHEAD BAY
11 routes
KAGEVAH PEAK
1 route
189
PINEDALE
5 problems
CLIFF JUMPING
AREA
SINKS CANYON
321 routes
STADIUM
BOULDERS
2 problems
789
18 problems
89
SUICIDE POINT
BOULDER LAKE
DAM
5 routes
GRADE II WALL
3 routes
1 problem
Lander
STONEHENGE
4 problems
189
789
EAST FORK
VALLEY
CIRQUE OF
THE MOON
14 routes
WILD IRIS
5 routes
191
CIRQUE OF
THE TOWERS
31 routes
99 routes
185 routes
OK CORRAL
62 routes
GUN STREET
16 routes
TRAD
TOPROPE
SPORT
BOULDERING
THE SCENE
28 | SEPTEMBER 2014
DAVIN BAGDONAS
GUIDE
CRAGS
LOCALS KNOW
Where climbers:
[stay]
Camp free for up to three days in
Lander City Park at 4th and Fremont
streets on the banks of the Popo Agie
River. The park has 28 tent sites and
seven RV sites (rst come, rst served).
Tip: Bring a bike for runs into close-by
downtown for groceries or beer. There
are also two state park campgrounds as
you drive up Sinks Canyon ($15/night,
(sinkscanyonstatepark.org, 307-3323077). The Popo Agie Campground in
the canyon also has three 16-foot yurts
for $40/night; each has a twin and a
queen bed. Or, keep driving about 20
miles up the canyon on Loop Road and
youll hit the national forest boundary
where camping is free.
[eat/drink]
The Lander Bar (landerbar.com, 307332-7009) is a mandatory stop for any
climber. Its owned and operated by
local climbers, and every cold beer is
served with a side of good beta. Almost every grill cook is a climber. Our
head bartender has been climbing in
the area for 20 years, and both managers climb and were born and raised in
Wyoming, says owner Jill Hunter. And
theres always someone interesting
hanging around. Sasha DiGiulian was
here recently watching the World Cup.
Grab a Jack Norman Pale Ale brewed
right next door, order a Muy Bueno
burger, and eavesdrop on stories about
METRICS
STYLE
Sport crags and alpine trad reign
QUALITY
DIFFICULTY
3
5.1
2
5.1
5.1
1
1,200
5.1
800
5.9
400
200
KYLE DUBA
5.6
TR
4%
400
5.8
2 stars
Sport
57%
5.7
3 stars
600
le
ss
Trad
39%
or
4 stars
30 | SEPTEMBER 2014
ROUTES
Lander Classics
The 10 best 4-star routes as ranked by Mountain
Project users
East Ridge of Wolfs Head (5.6)
Wind River Range, 10 pitches
Unreal! One of the most interesting
alpine routes I have done, especially
at 5.6. Big exposure. Although if you
are a 5.6 leader, some of the exposed
traversing moves may feel a lot harder
than 5.6.
La Vaca Peligrosa (5.8)
Wild Iris, 1 pitch
A very fun pocket climbthis is what
super-fun limestone rock climbing is
all about.
More Funky Than Gunky (5.9)
Sinks Canyon, 1 pitch
The roof on this one feels great. Its
well-protected but still big enough
to make you feel like a rock star. Get
your feet over the lip; exibility is one
of your best assets here.
BEN HERNDON
Alexander Barber
Professional mountain guide.
Passionate climber. Seeks
out pure ascents of the
worlds highest mountains,
climbing solo, without
bottled oxygen or Sherpa
support. Uses, among
others, the Soulo.
POWERED BY
HILLEBERG.COM
or call toll free 1-866-848-8368
*Stats are for the immediate Lander area. Get route beta, photos, and
topos for the whole state at mountainproject.com/wyoming.
follow us on facebook.com/HillebergTheTentmaker
GUIDE
INSTANT EXPERT
32 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Height
I nd my small stature can be better on steep
climbs because my torso and limbs arent as
long, which can require more strength to keep
under control. Regardless, being dynamic is
important, so train for power and big moves.
Falling and Fear
Taking whippers in caves is fun! Youre falling
into air, with no threat of hitting ledges below
or cheese-grating down a slab. Embrace it!
Pushing Through
When Im pumped and need to force myself
to keep going, I focus on breathing. A slow
and even breath will lower your heart rate and
distract you. I convince myself that Im not
tired and that the next good hold or next clip
is the anchor. Push for that one extra move,
and youll improve quickly because youll be
constantly maximizing your engine.
Hanging Upside Down
Reading routes and staying calm can be difcult. Look at the climb beforehand and make a
plan for each section. Find the good rests and
climb from rest to rest. Get to a rest and look
up at the next section. While resting, keep
arms straight, shoulders relaxed, and heels
down to toe in. Just breathe.
Technique
Apply a lot of pressure to every foothold,
especially bad ones. Use the tip of your shoe,
with the hold under your powerful big toe.
Heel hooks, toe hooks, and bicycling are crucial. For your hands, center your upper body
directly beneath the hold. Upper body and
legs should be in line with your hips; shift left
and right by driving with your hips. Squeeze
your abs and engage your core to stay tight.
OVERCOMING
OVERHANGS
with Sasha DiGiulian
scarpa.com/vitamin
You only get 26,320 days, more or less. How will you spend them?
GUIDE
TRAINING
GUIDELINES
BY JULIE ELLISON
WEEKLY SCHEDULE
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Climb: Powerendurance
Focus: Core
Climb:
Endurance
Focus:
Technique
Climb: Rest
Focus: Core
Climb: Powerendurance
Focus: Resting
Climb:
Endurance
Focus:
Technique
Climb: Rest
Focus: Core
Climb: Powerendurance
Focus: Resting
RESTING
1. Pick out a steep route thats slightly easier than your redpoint max. Climb it once, and gure out where you can get at least
two rests. This will help you identify what a good rest is and how to maximize it, as well as how to pace your climbing in between rests. Now re-climb the route, and you must use those two rests for at least 20 seconds each. Arms should be straight,
shoulders relaxed, and feet in the best position to take weight off your arms; heel hooks and the like are especially helpful.
Focus on using minimal energy, getting your heart rate down, shaking out, alternating hands, and relaxing. Be mentally present
when resting: How pumped are you? How does shaking out feel? If you move your foot slightly up or down can you nd a better position? Do this with two to three routes; if you fall off at any point, just get back on and complete the route.
2. Create a 20-move boulder problem loop on the steepest part of the bouldering wall. Have it start and end on the same big
holds with good feet. Do the problem, and when you get back to the start, rest there without coming off the wall for a set
amount of time; three minutes of resting is a good start. Focus on staying relaxed, breathing evenly, shaking out, keeping open
hands, not over-gripping, etc. Try to complete the loop at least three times. The next week, create a new problem with a start/
end position that has good hands but slightly worse feet. The set resting time might feel too long, but this will get your brain
in tune with your body and help you gure out not only how to use rests, but how long you should rest. Create two to three
separate problems/loops for each session, aiming to complete each loop three times.
3. Choose an overhanging route at your absolute limit. Climb the route until you feel the pump start to creep in. Keep moving,
and right before you feel like youre going to peel off, nd a massive jugeven if its not on your routeand milk that rest like
theres no tomorrow. Get into the best resting position you can, using whatever holds are available, whether theyre on your
chosen route or not. The idea is to push yourself to your physical limit and then get a break while not dropping off or coming
down. Stay there as long as needed, and see how much strength you can get back. Its ne if you fall two moves later; thats
two more moves than you would have done otherwise. This will build mental fortitude when resting, create condence, and
help you develop a positive attitude about the fact that resting does actually work. Try this with four routes, making sure to
rest about 10 minutes between each.
34 | SEPTEMBER 2014
ENDURANCE
1. Laps are a great way to gain endurance quickly, but with a limited number of routes in a typical gym, they can get boring
really fast. Use this exercise sparingly so you dont burn out too quickly. Theyre just what they sound like: Pick a route a full
number grade below your max redpoint and climb it. Lower, pull the rope, and get back on the wall as fast as you can. You
dont have to climb it fast, and you can (and should) rest on the route, but dont dilly dally about getting back on. Try to gain
energy back while on the wall. Run three to ve laps on a few climbs, doing a minimum total of 12 pitches.
2. Downclimbing is an underrated training exercise. Not only does it help with footwork and technique, but it also works
your main climbing muscles in the opposite direction, like doing negatives in weightlifting, where you focus on the lowering
portion more than the upward motion. Pick a route thats a full number grade lower than your redpoint max and climb up.
Immediately downclimb the whole thing, and without coming off the wall, start climbing back up. (Using an auto-belay is great
for this.) When you get to the top the second time, just lower to the ground. Do this with at least four routes.
3. Pick an overhanging route thats at least a full number grade below your redpoint max, the juggier, the better. Every time you
want to reposition your feet, you must purposely cut both of them, swing them out, and bring them back to the wall in the
position thats necessary to move upward. It should be something like this: Move right hand, move left hand, cut feet, swing
them backward, and as you bring your feet back to the wall, place them where they need to go to make the next set of hand
movements. Do this on at least six routes, more if youre an advanced climber.
CORE
1. Do all exercises in a row, then repeat
POWER-ENDURANCE
1. The classic workout to gain power-endurance is a 4x4. On
a bouldering wall, nd four problems that are about three
grades below your redpoint max. Climb the rst problem four
times without resting, then rest two minutes and climb the
second problem four times. Continue until youve completed
one set. Rest at least ve minutes and repeat the 4x4 with
four new problems. Rest again and repeat with new problems
for three total sets.
2. The treadwall is one of the best climbing inventions since
sticky rubber. Kick the angle back so that you can still do four
rounds in a row without coming off; 20 is a good starting
ROBYN
ERBESFIELDRABOUTOU
As one of the leading
authorities on coaching
climbing for kids, Robyn
Erbeseld-Raboutou has
trained dozens of youngsters who have sent 5.14 and
climbed on the international
level. She is a ve-time U.S.
National Champion and
was the third woman in the
world to climb 5.14a. Shes
also the founder, owner, and
director of ABC Climbing in
Boulder, Colorado (abckidsboulder.com).
TECHNIQUE
1. Bouldering is one of the
best ways to gain good
technique quickly. Since the
problems are short, you can
focus on each move and the
subtle nuances of footwork,
body position, and how to
grip slopey or small holds.
Youll also be simultaneously
building power, which is often
overlooked in sport climbing
training, but just as necessary
to be successful on challenging routes. Spend 30 minutes
projecting hard boulders at
your limit.
2. Work with a partner on the
systems board. Create problems (usually ve to seven
moves) that incorporate all
different types of movement,
holds, and body positions.
Focus on your weaknesses,
whether its a certain type
of hold or movement. Since
a systems board is mirrored
with the same holds in the
same spots on each side,
make sure to do every problem twice, once on each side.
Spend 30 minutes creating
problems for each other on
the systems board.
CLIMBING.COM
| 35
GUIDE
NUTRITION
Recovery Rice
Cook this takeout classic at home for the perfect post-climb meal
BY LESLIE HITTMEIER
After a long gym session, youre tired, sore, and just want to chow down on somethinganythingas soon as possible. Its easy to reach for your stack of takeout
menus, but that General Tsos packs a surprising wallop of fat and sodium without
much redeeming nutritional value. Sure, youll be full, but your body wont get the
proper fuel it needs to bounce back from the toll of climbing hard. No worries.
We have a chicken fried rice recipe that you can throw together three times faster
than it takes the delivery guy to get to your door. The cook time is less than 15
minutes, and its so easy to make youll have it memorized after one go. It also has
a healthy dose of carbs, protein, and sodium, with a half serving of vegetables.
Rice has carbs that are good for fueling recovery. Its high on the glycemic index,
which means it will digest quickly and give your muscles the immediate energy
they need to start the repair and recovery process (see opposite page for more
info on the glycemic index). Protein from the chicken rebuilds muscles, tendons,
and ligaments, and the ample sodium will help your body absorb much-needed
water to stave off dehydration and accelerate recovery. Dr. Allen Lim, founder of
Skratch Labs, says, The benets of this meal are rather simple: It tastes great, its
easy to make, keeps well, reheats easily, and its got a great ratio of carbs, protein,
and fat. Mostly though, its just super-delicious real food.
Ingredients
Top with:
3 eggs
Sriracha
Sesame oil
FILL UP!
2 to 3 green onions,
thinly sliced
Nutrition Facts
per serving (half total amount)
Energy 605 cal
Fat 17g
Sodium 727mg
36 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Carbs 68g
Fiber 4g
Protein 39g
2 tablespoons low-sodium
soy sauce
*Republished
with permission
of VeloPress from
the The Feed Zone
Cookbook ($25,
skratchlabs.com).
Try more recipes
at feedzonecookbook.com.
Directions
Cook rice according to package instructions.
Bring lightly oiled saut pan to medium-high heat. Add garlic
and green onions and saut for about one minute.
In a small bowl, beat eggs and soy sauce together and then
pour them into the hot pan. The pan should be hot enough to
cause the eggs to uff. Stir quickly to cook.
Add cooked rice and cooked chicken thighs, then fry mixture
for ve to six minutes.
Add peas and corn and cook until vegetables heat through
and are vibrant in color.
Season to taste with Sriracha, soy sauce, or sesame oil.
broccoli (10)
cherries (22)
lentils (29)
apple/orange
(39/40)
chocolate chip cookie to a low-sugar sports drink. The most important rule
is to eat something high on the scale 15 to 30 minutes after your workout because this is when the enzymes that help the body replenish muscle glycogen
are most active, and the longer you wait, the longer it will take those muscles
to recover. Keep a bagel and almond butter (or some leftover chicken fried
rice) on hand so you can give your body what it needs on the drive home
from the crag or the gym. Keep in mind that its ill-advised, if not impossible,
to base your entire diet on GI numbers. For example, eating a steady stream
of foods like pizza, beer, and ice cream every day, while fun and a good mix
on the GI, wont likely help your performanceor harness size. Use these
numbers as guidelines, especially when you know youll be needing an extra
boost during a long day in the mountains or after a hard workout.
brown
rice (50)
25
whole wheat
bread (68)
50
bagel (72)
75
potato (85)
cornakes (93)
100
P R O M OT I O N
TH E B E TA
STERLING ROPE
Our new Nano IX (nine) is designed to
perform awlessly on sport routes, ice, or
mixed conditions, this 9.0mm triple threat is
certied as a single, half, and twin rope. Its
thermobalanced sheath and new core ensure
durable, consistent handling in all conditions.
www.sterlingrope.com
REEL ROCK
In its 9th year, REEL ROCK features a special
presentation of Valley Uprising: the riveting,
unforgettable tale of Yosemite climbing,
spanning half a century of struggle against the
laws of gravity and the laws of the land.
www.reelrocktour.com
OFFICIAL
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THE
Fall
Apparel
Guide
BEN FULLERTON
CLIMB
GEAR
APPAREL
GUIDE
Dress to Send
The best 18 products to stay warm and dry until next summer
BY JULIE ELLISON
PACK IT DOWN, WARM IT UP MIDLAYER
Brooks-Range
Azara Hoody
Although theyve only been making apparel for a few years, Brooks-Range hit it
out of the park with their rst attempt at
womens clothing in the Azara Hoody. Its
warm, packable, comfortable, and I had zero
t issuespretty much unheard of for a rst
run of womens clothes! one tester said who
rocked it while bouldering in Rocky Mountain
National Park in Colorado and on long mixed
climbs in the French Alps. The 20-denier
Pertex Quantum shell with DWR nish staved
off a consistent 30-minute drizzle, but after
the water eventually soaked through, our
BREATHABLE INSULATION
Patagonia
Nano Air
Imagine the cozy, contented
warmth you feel when you throw on
your favorite sweatshirt to cut the
chill of a late fall day. Thats how the
Nano Air felt through several days
of alpine climbing above Chamonix,
France, says our tester. Through a
dozen pitches of mixed terrain and
snow, I found this stretchy insulator warm enough for belaying and
breathable enough to dry sweat
while climbing. The result is a rare
experience: much less adjusting
layers and hence little removing and
digging in your pack. In other words,
increased efciency. The secrets: 60g
of synthetic insulation that Patagonia
dubs FullRange, sandwiched between
four-way stretch nylon thats more
permeable than any of Patagonias
softshells. The added stretch allows
the jacket to move with me. Bonus:
A DWR coating sheds precip (or a
cup of coffeeoops), and lowprole handwarmer pockets are positioned for access with a harness on.
$299 (hood), $249 (no hood);
patagonia.com
40 |
SEPTEMBER 2014
OLD SCHOOL
NEW
SCHOOL HYBRID
Mammut
Go-Far Jacket
Fjllrven
Keb
Pants
If youre looking for big warmth in a small package, look no further than the Go-Far Jacket. With
Polartec Thermal Pro throughout, this full-zip
midlayer packs a serious insulating punch, which
our testers compared to that of a midweight
down puffy, and it only takes up the size of a
small grapefruit in your pack, weighing in at just
under 11 ounces for the mens medium. Thumb
loops kept the sleeves in place whether wearing
it as a midlayer or an outer layer, and a very trim,
athletic t was excellent for wearing under a harness. The womens version, the Get-Away Jacket,
has an offset zipper that is positioned to the side
of your chin when zipped all the way up. Note:
Testers felt breathability was limited, making it
best for the chilliest days. $119; mammut.ch
DEEP-FREEZE MOUNTAINEERING
A CLIMBER ESSENTIAL
Arcteryx Alpha
Comp Hoody
Black Diamond
Deployment Hoody
Its easy to obsess about performance characteristics and the merits and metrics of various materials and membranes when building
your climbing-apparel arsenal. Cold-weather
or high-altitude climbing demands scrutinizing functionality. But for everyday
cragging, what our editors and testers find
themselves wearing the most are the simple
pieces that just plain feel good, the ones
that cross over from the gym or crag to
the office and town, like this merino/nylon
hybrid. Its a classic zip-up hoody thats
been made crag-worthy with a super-durable nylon-weave exterior and warm merino
inside, said one tester, after days of chilly
rock climbing in Boulder Canyon, Colorado.
But dont go thinking the Deployment is just
another sweatshirt. Its a technical piece
hiding inside a casual jacket that I can wear
out to dinner or even to work and still look
good. The dense nylon exterior cut wind,
while the hood zipped up to near scuba
tightness to protect testers heads from the
chill. Gripes: a bit pricey and heavy (1 lb., 6
oz.). $199; blackdiamondequipment.com
CLIMBING.COM
| 41
GEAR
APPAREL
GUIDE
Icebreaker
Departure Short
Sleeve Shirt
Outdoor Research
Lodestar
42 | SEPTEMBER 2014
UPDATED CLASSIC
Canada Goose
Timber Shell
Howler Brothers
Adidas Terrex
Loggerhead Longsleeve Climaheat Ice Jacket
Millet Technostretch
Jacket
Love at rst wear is how both our testers described this ultra-puffy jacket that blends waterresistant down and synthetic insulation. A stretch
panel in the upper back increases exibility
tenfold, and a moisture managing lining prevents
clammy-ness. The lengthened torso warms your
booty, and offset interior bafing creates additional air channels against your body to trap
more heat. Fave feature: Stretchy interior sleeves
kept heat from escaping. This is the new gold
standard for belay pufes. $350; adidas.com
CLIMBING.COM
| 43
www.metoliusclimbing.com
Bill Morse suits up for a larger than life burn on California 5.12, a steep and thuggy 12c at Red Rock Canyon, Nevada Photo: Ben Moon
THE
BEGIN HERE
CLIMB
CLINICS
PINCH POINTS
By Julie Ellison
g. 2
360 of access to thread or tie a sling,
as an anchor to save time and keep
everyone safe and happy.
ONE
When you come upon the technical section, stop and take out your
rope. You wont need the entire
length; just uncoil enough for each
person (this works for parties of
two or more) to tie in (about six feet
per person should be plenty), plus
enough distance for the leader to
climb the section and get to a good
spot for an anchor. Keep the rest in
a mountaineers coil that the last follower will carry as he climbs.
TWO
The leader should fold the rope
where hes tying in so it creates a
bight thats about three feet long,
and tie an overhand knot here.
Place that knot in front of your
belly button, and wrap the rest of
the bight around your midsection.
Run the end of the loop through the
existing overhand, and use the tail
to tie another overhand around the
other strands, snugging this knot
up to the rst one (g. 1). It should
THREE
g. 1
FOUR
Girth-hitch a wide sling around the
pinch point, or use thicker webbing
and tie a water knot (climbing.com/
video/how-to-water-knot). Clip a
locking biner onto the webbing, pull
up all the slack in the rope (there
should only be a small amount), and
tie a Munter onto the biner. Lock
CLIMBING.COM
| 45
CLINICS
IN SESSION
FOCUS ON:
NUTRITION AND
HEALTHY BODY WEIGHT
Weight has always been a tricky topic for climbers. There was a time when
starving yourself seemed the norm, and strong climbers sacriced much-needed muscle mass to be as light as possible. Today, its common knowledge that
eating too little is not only counterproductive to becoming a better climber, but
its also detrimental to your overall health. To gure out if youre at a healthy
weight, or over or underweight, gure out your body mass index (BMI) with
bmi-calculator.net. This can give you a good idea of how much fat you can
stand to loseif any. Remember that the BMI system does have its aws;
sometimes the super-t and muscular folks can score overweight. The ultimate
judge of your weight and food intake lies in your climbing performance and
how you feel on a daily basis.
The next step is to gure out how much you should be eating. Try mytnesspal.com, a free online diet tracking tool that uses your weight, height,
gender, and activity level. Using those estimated calorie needs as a guideline,
track your diet on the site to see
how much you should eat every day.
Just a few days of tracking can give
great insight into how much food
youre eating, and how much of it is
unnecessary. This will help you strike
the ne balance between eating too
little to stay light and eating enough
to stay strong and energized.
So, what to eat? Whole foods
like lean meats, vegetables, fruit, and
whole grains are crucial to maintaining a healthy weight. One trick
from 5.14 climber and trainer Mike
Anderson is to eat a ton of low-density foods like vegetables. He eats an
enormous salad with veggies, meat,
Angie Payne: I went through a
and healthy fats (avocado, olive oil)
light phase. I was climbing way
at least once a day; it provides plenty
too much, and not eating enough.
of nutrients and keeps him full for
I knew I was losing weight, but
hours, thanks to the ber, protein,
I didnt know I was losing that
fat, and bulk it provides. Fat loss
much. It was a pretty vicious cycle.
can be accelerated by cutting back
It wasnt really sustainable, and I
on carbs. Every climber needs carb
didnt have very much energy at all.
energy, but we dont need as much as
It feels good to feel light, and when
what a common American diet delivyoure pretty small you feel that
ers (bagel for breakfast, sandwich at
more often. But after a while, I reallunch, pasta for dinner, etc). This will
ized that the feeling of being strong
result in storing less of those unused
is a lot cooler than feeling light, and
calories as fat.
theyre very different.
46 |
SEPTEMBER 2014
STRENGTH TRAINING
Most climbers hate to spend training time off of the wall, but adding one or
two specic exercises, including hangboard workouts, after your climbing
session can produce major results. If youre short, wide-grip lat pull-downs at
maximum weight can give you extra reach and improve lockoff strength. Find
a lat pull-down machine (most gyms have them), and widen your grip as far
as possiblewider than your shoulders. Experiment with weight until youre
failing on your third rep. Then do
three to ve sets of two reps (failing
on your third) at that weight with
ve minutes of rest between sets. Do
these after a climbing session or on
an off-climbing day; dont do them
before your session because youll be
tired on the wall and wont maximize
your climbing time. Start with three
times a week, moving up in weight
as you get stronger. You can do more
sessions in a week, but if you nd
yourself too tired to climb hard during your session, scale back to three.
Trainer and author Steve Bechtel
is a huge proponent of weightliftCarlo Traversi: I doubled the numing, hangboarding, and campusing
ber of V13s I had climbed and did a
as specific training for rock climbfew V14s when I incorporated maxing. He says, I am becoming more
weight, wide-grip lat pull-downs
and more convinced that if you
into my training regimen four to ve
simply develop a base strength,
times a week. My personal record
everything else falls into place.
was 260 pounds, which was almost
Thinking about incorporating
twice my weight. As a short climber,
running into your training? Think
I often need to be able to lockoff
again. Bechtel thinks its a waste
incredibly wide, and lat pull-downs
of time for climbers. Instead, focus
were my solution.
on the obvious: climbing, hangboarding, campusing, weighted
pull-upsand the not-so-obvious: squats and walking lunges. Try lunges
or squats twice a week to strengthen your legs and core. These will
improve your overall performance, but theyll especially give you more
strength and power for dynos where the initial push comes from your
lower half. Multiple professional climbers have touted the hangboard as
their catalyst for bumping up grades. As you move up in grades, holds get
smaller, slopier, and generally crappier, and finger-strength training will
make these holds feel easier to use and hang from. Think of it this way:
If you can reach a hold to touch it, you will be able to grab it, and if you
can grab it, you can hold on. See climbing.com/skill/digit-dialing-2 for
some workout ideas.
WEAKNESSES
BREATHING
Its easy to have fun by focusing on what youre good at; its much more difficult
to face the fact that youre not good at certain things, and then go out and turn
them into strengths. Below are some common issues I found among the pros
when it came to weaknesses.
Bad Footholds. Seek out the worst possible footholds in the gym and
practice using them in a variety of ways, moving in all directions. Do the same
outside and nd problems that are known for glassy, microscopic, terrible feet.
Small Hands, Big Holds. Women tend to be good at crimping the tiniest
nubs, but when it comes to large slopers and pinches, the ladies more often
struggle. The only way to become procient with these sizeable holds is by
using them. Shannon Forsman is a short but very strong V12 boulderer and
climbing coach. She encourages women to at least try difficult climbs that
arent just crimps: All Im asking is for you to try something out of your comfort zone, whether it involves slopers, pinches, or evengaspa jump move.
Just try! It might be difficult and embarrassing to project a couple of V-grades
lower than youre used to, but over time youll come out a much stronger
climber. She says nger strength isnt the only factor for open-handed holds;
success can depend on how well you use the rest of your body. Slopers require
patience, balance, core tension, and very subtle movement; every limb must be
engaged. You dont just grab slopers, you use the rest of your body to position
yourself in a way that makes them useable. A general rule of thumb is to stay as
far below slopers as possible so that you are pulling down rather than out.
Power. No matter how many laps you can run on techy moderates, you will inevitably plateau at a more difficult grade if
you dont have power. Try circuits on hard boulder problems instead of just climbing around randomly. The campus board
and systems board are also especially useful. Consider adding a few sets of simple box jumps (repeatedly jump on an 18 to
24 sturdy box) after climbing sessions. It will give you the explosive leg power and muscle memory you need for big moves.
All of these pros have spent monthssometimes yearson particular projects. This means returning to the same crag over
and over with an upbeat attitude and a desire to go back for more. With any luck on a project, youll be falling off higher
and higher up, but if you arent, the Anderson brothers (authors of The Rock Climbers Training Manual) say you should
get back in the gym and do a strength- and power-focused training cycle to get stronger. They say sometimes its best to
step away from the rock, even if it means not getting the send that season. Whitney Boland, a 5.14 climber, says she gets
anxious or scared before certain moves, especially big, dynamic ones since shes short (5 ). She recommends just going
for it as a way to push through. She says, When you get to a move like that, decide you want to stick it and go for it. More
often than not, youll surprise yourself. Even if you dont hit the move and take a fall, you can feel proud of the fact that you
really went for it, and then you can work on adjusting for the next attempt.
Emily Harrington: After a few
months in the big mountains, I
returned to sport climbing, and
it was demoralizing to start all
over. My secret was nishing
every day by giving it everything
I had, even when it bruised my
ego. I would fall on climbs that
were warm-ups. I reminded
myself why I do this sport and
what makes me love it so much.
All you have to do is put in the
time and effort. In the end, its
all about wanting it.
NEELY QUINN
Neely Quinn is a paleo nutritionist
and climber who works online from
the road. She and her husband, Seth
Lytton, created trainingbeta.com
for mortal rock climbers who want
useful training advice and programs
that are easy to follow.
CLIMBING.COM
| 47
CLINICS
HEALTH
Repairing tight forearm muscles requires adequate blood ow that brings oxygen and the ability to rebuild small tears created during intense work like climbing. Unfortunately both your desk and your laptop can inhibit that, and they can create
more stress on overworked arms. Laying your wrist exors on any angled surface can produce friction, resulting in more
knots and injury. Check your laptop; check your desk.
Fix it: Luckily, theres a simple modication: inexpensive pipe foam from the hardware store. Just cut it to t and tape it
over the edge. More expensive options are edge protectors by Human Solution ($45, thehumansolution.com) or the Imak
Laptop Cushion ($16, amazon.com). A minimalist x is to simply le or sand sharp edges down (if you own the laptop or
desk, of course!), but your best rest will come when your forearm is in contact with a padded surface.
MOUSE
As you can easily push that
mouse a few miles in a year,
you need an intervention. The
type of mouse you have is less
important than how you use it.
Positioning is everything. Dont
let the mouse sit as far from you
as it can; pull it in close by your
side and make friends with it.
Same goes for your keyboard.
Dont make your body work
harder than it has to.
Fix it: An easy solution for a huge issue, pulling your elbows toward your midline will rest the shoulder girdle stabilizers,
neck, and rotator cuff in that neutral position. It can eliminate those aches and pains in the neck and upper back, which are
common in desk workers, and it will protect your shoulders, which are prone to injury for climbers.
Lets talk about friction. Repetitively rubbing the same spot on your hand or wrist on the surface of your mouse or desk
could limit the ability of your bodys soft tissue to heal. Pain in any specic location that contacts the mouse is a sign that
you might be putting too much pressure on that region. This aggravates pre-existing injuries and creates new ones.
Fix it: Easy modications include stick-on silicone gel padding from the shoe aisle or self-care section of your local drug
store, or you can swap to a different mouse altogether (see below). If your wrist is bothering you, try a pad that has a special
gel-lled section for your wrist. Just as none of us climb the same, none of us mouse the same. Streamlining your uses will
decrease your abuses.
Repetitively ring that clicker fatigues your already-tight exor muscles and rubs on your pulley tendons with every
click. An ergonomic mouse is excellent for keeping your arm and hand in a healthy position, which will allow your climbing
overuse injuries to heal quickly and efficiently. As the most commonly injured ngers in climbing are the middle and ring
ngers, protecting them is a no-brainer.
Fix it: If you suffer from wrist, forearm, or nger fatigue, consider a mouse that puts your hand in the thumb-up position. Thumb mouses are great because they allow your arm to rest in a neutral position on the outer edge of your forearm,
instead of using muscle power to force it at. If you stick with a standard mouse, try swapping your mouse hand every few
days to avoid repetitive injuries. It will take a while to get your non-dominant hand used to being in control, but youll netune your motor skills and hand-eye coordination in the process.
48 |
SEPTEMBER 2014
JUST ASK
Many offices offer an ergonomic assessment to help you avoid overuse
injuries in the workplace. Ask your
office manager to look into purchasing ergonomic tools so you can be
comfortable and stay injury-free
while working at your desk. The
cost to the company can come back
tenfold in productivity, worker
satisfaction, and a better overall
atmosphere in the office. A happy
worker is a hard worker.
STANDING
The shift from sitting to standing is
the latest trend in workplace ergonomics. There are now standing desks
and even treadmill desks. Standing
up means your body is moving constantly, shifting from side to side, and
these many small motions lubricate
the joints and allow your muscles to
receive increased nutrition, oxygen,
and blood ow. Sitting is actually
excellent for resting your body, but its
crucial to get up every 30 minutes to
talk a walk, stretch, and move your
whole body.
Fix it: To affordably modify your
current desk into a standing desk, you
dont need to spend all of your cash.
With a little bit of creative ingenuity and some books, boxes, and/
or stands, you can have the perfect
standing desk. Try ling cabinets under your existing desk or using a wall
shelving unit with various heights.
The perfect height will have the desks
surface just below your elbow, so
when the forearm is resting on the
desk, your elbow is at about 90. (See
above-right for the correct position of
the monitor.) Keep in mind that if you
just have a laptop, you will denitely
need a separate keyboard or monitor
for a standing desk to be helpful.
DESK EDGES
20-30
10
Stretches to
Undo Your Day
Being limber and loose allows your muscles their best chance of
healing, and stretching can decrease your risk of injury by leaps and
bounds. Here are a few stretches to incorporate into your day to
further aid in recovery:
NECK PNF
STRETCHES
MONITOR
Close is good. Too far away and your eyes will fatigue and your neck will strain. Too high or
too low and your neck and eyes will be locked into an awkward position that forces them
to work harder than they should. The goal is to cut down on eye fatigue and relax the neck
as much as possible. Imagine looking down all day at work and then up all night while
belaying and climbing; it is hard for the body to cope with such extreme opposites. Same
goes for looking up all day and then continuing at night; being locked in this position will
give you belayers neck twice as fast.
Fix it: The monitor should sit 20 to 30 inches from your face. The point on the screen
that you look at the most should sit about 10 degrees below where your gaze falls when
looking straight ahead. When the monitor is positioned correctly, angle the screen slightly
by tilting the top back 10 to 20.
Unfortunately, laptops pretty much set users up for injury. Theyre not meant to be ergonomic, just lightweight and compact. Most faces and necks become positioned too low,
bent over and peering down at the screen. If you raise the laptop to protect these regions,
your hands are up in the air, wrecking your shoulders.
Fix it: When working at a desk, put your laptop on a stand and get an external keyboard.
Worth its weight in gold, it unloads your neck and keeps you in an ergonomic position.
If you are using a monitor at work and have the same problem, put it on a wall-mounted
arm, or put phonebooks under it so you can have it as close to eye height as possible.
CHAIR
KEYBOARD
Traditional straight keyboards force us to
engage muscles to keep palms at. This
prevents full rest, fatigues the muscles, and
puts them in an unnatural and injury-causing position. The supinator muscle goes
into overdrive in this orientation, and that
inner elbow attachment point is a common
painful spot for climbers.
Fix it: A curved keyboard is the answer.
With the same concept as the thumb-up
mouse, it allows hands and forearms to
naturally rotate with palms facing inward
toward each other. Finding a keyboard
that ts this arc allows us to rest, and this
increased rest allows us to conquer sidepulls, crimps, and underclings better as our
elbow stabilizers are fresh and spry.
CLIMBING.COM
| 49
The Womens
Essential Tank
Check out the Marmot
Momentum Collection at
marmot.com/momentum
marmot.com
THE
CLIMBER WISDOM
CLIMB
VOICES
BRETT AFFRUNTI
AND OTHER
TOPICS...
Can I y with my rack? No, cams dont provide optimal lift. // What dogbone is best for grabbing? The one not in your dogs mouth. Or any dogs
mouth for that matter. // Should I buy some brassies? Are you climbing thin crackies? // Will Lycra ever come back in style? For you? Denitely.
CLIMBING.COM
| 51
VOICES
Climbers And
Climate Change
BY CEDAR WRIGHT
52 | SEPTEMBER 2014
But one of the most informed and serious guys I know, Alex Honnold,
jumped onto the hashtag bandwagon with his own series of posts, so I
had to ask him why and what good he thought itd do.
I got approached by someone working on climate policy for the
Obama Administration, he said. Just getting an email from a .gov
address is a pretty exciting thing. For me, the idea of trying to be a
part of something slightly bigger than climbing is very appealing, and
even if the current EPA regulations arent quite perfect, it still gets
the conversation started. Im personally very excited about the growth
of clean energy projects in the U.S., and this is one way to get more
SAMUEL CROSSLEY
In the last couple of years, Alex and I have done two long bike-tour
climbing adventures. Its a nice way to step back from fossil fuels instead of jumping on a plane. On our last Sufferfest, we bagged more
than 45 desert towers and ended our trip on the Navajo Nation where
we helped with a $40,000 solar project that was funded by our sponsors Goal Zero, Clif Bar, and The North Face, through a nonprot that
Alex has started to help put his money where his mouth is, and to use
his unique position to inuence public opinion. Hes a climber whos
doing something about the biggest problem of our time, and one that
directly affects climbers and the areas we play. We should all follow
his lead by taking some real steps. Its a work in progress, but heres
what Im doing to be less of a careless D-bag to Mother Earth:
1. Despite my imperfections, Im striving to create dialogue and hopefully get climbers (thats you!) to think about how they can personally
make a small difference.
2. Half because I care and half because Honnold wont stop nagging
me, I am installing solar panels on my townhouse. All my lights are
LED, and Im looking at other ways to make my homes energy blueprint as efficient as possible. This also hedges against rising energy
costs. More money for climbing in the future?
3. Because my hometown of Boulder is ber bike friendly, I ride instead of drive for nearby errands (and bar runs), which keeps me t
for my next rst ascent or Sufferfest.
4. I enthusiastically encourage dirtbagging. Drop out of the mainstream and just climb. Living in a tent or cave adds very little to the
Earths greenhouse gas woes, right? Plus, it deepens your appreciation
of the natural world.
5. Not showering much. I might just be lazy, but this old dirtbag habit
saves a ton of water and the energy it takes to heat it. Most of the West
is in a drought, so I encourage you to just hold off on showering until
later this winter.
6. Participating in events like the annual Yosemite Facelift. It might
not directly erase carbon impact, but building good karma cant hurt.
7. I use my gear for its full life, until its unsafe. The impact of manufacturing and trans-ocean shipping is enormous.
8. Ive moved to a largely vegetarian diet. The meat industry is a huge
greenhouse gas producer, and beef is far and away the worst, producing about four times the greenhouse gas of sh or poultry. Added bonus: Im lighter for sending my next project.
9. Im going to road-trip in my minivan until it explodes, hopefully
many years from now. The greenest car is the one you already own,
not that shiny new Sprinter or Prius.
10. Drinking beer. Im not exactly sure how this is helping, but its a
local brew, and it feels like the world gets better with each sip.
CLIMBING.COM
| 53
VOICES
SEMI-RAD
Long,
Hard
Routes
BY BRENDAN LEONARD
I think every climber needs to summit something super, super phallic at least once, I said to
a friend on a raft trip last fall, for absolutely no
reason at all.
As soon as the words left my mouth, I realized Ive
really only climbed one desert tower and a couple other
things that are somewhat schlong-like, and they were
more sword-like than schlong-like, if Im being completely honest. Am I even, by my own definition, a real
climber if I havent climbed anything that looks like a,
well, you know? I should make plans to go up Castleton
Tower or at least Owl Rock soon, right?
54 |
SEPTEMBER 2014
Even if I dont particularly excel at any form of climbing, I understand and have at least minimal experience in most of all the disciplines: sport, trad, aid, bouldering, mountaineering, ice, mixed, and
plastic. But I havent made the effort to climb Ottos Route (an especially sexy ve-pitch 5.8 woody) at Colorado National Monument, or
anything else truly wang-like, which I suppose one could dene as any
formation way taller than its diameter. You know, like a cucumber, or,
say, a frankfurter, or a banana, or a mushroom, or an egg roll.
Are you too serious of a climber for dick jokes? Im clearly not. But, this
is not just about dick jokes (although possibly the best place in climbing
for them). Its about the experience of standing on a unique summit, a
sculpture high above an arid landscape, maybe the closest feeling many of
Alex Honnold
celebrates atop
Owl Spice.
SAMUEL CROSSLEY
56 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Missouri
Loves
Company
A prodigal son returns to the banks of the Mighty
Mo to rediscover the best rock hes ever climbed.
By Jeremy Collins // Photography By Andrew Burr
Inhale.
Pine trees, limestone, humidity. Exhale. High step, layback, cam placement. Beneath me, shiny spring-loaded trinkets poke out of white
akes and protect me from rolling down the face.
At the other end of the rope is Jim Karpowicz. At the other end of the
rope is encouragement and belief. Twenty-ve years ago, he was up here
just as I am now, standing on these crisp alabaster edges, fully committed, laybacking off his ngertips from a one-inch-thick ake, with the
sun beating down on his bearded face, as sweat soaked into his webbing swami belt and tube socks. Back then, the train ran just beneath
the crag, called Providence after the nearby town (population: some).
Back then, Jim had owing brown hair reaching down to his shoulders
and a bronzed body from spending his days on these bluffs. And now,
white-haired and nostalgic, he watches me do the same moves with
half the grace and twice the gear. Next to him is Mike Jenner, his faithful climbing partner then and now. They both still climb consistently,
rarely without the other.
I hesitate a moment and place the cam just righthorizontal, outer
lobes down, shuffled to the spot where the rail tapers tightest. Just in
case, I place another one next to it. I gather them together with a single
quickdraw. Back then, Jim and Mike placed hexes here. They werent
purists, per se, but they were pure, if there is such a thing.
Ground up, and no bolts unless we needed to to avoid dying. Honestly
we had no idea what we were doing. Just surviving, really, Jim says.
I admired their ethos when I rst discovered climbing 20 years ago
and began my own journey here in the rust-colored hills of central Missouri. It may be easy for many climbers to dismiss this place as just
another patch of green in yover country. And I wouldnt blame them
for assuming so. I doubt its merit myself sometimes, but I keep returningand reliving the fun and fear of my early days.
Heroes were hard to come by back then. We all sort of did
our own thing, climbing within our small circles, occasionally running
into the random weirdo out in the woods with a rope and a pack full of
weathered gear. But Jim and Mike had been at this longer than anyone
I had met, and they had somehow found great satisfaction here in the
Show-Me State. I wondered how then and still do. Are they blinded by
their own nostalgia? Am I? I ponder this as I clip the rusted anchors on
Prohibition (5.11a).
Jim tells me, Missouri has the best climbing in the world, and then
goes on to qualify himself by adding, Anywhere you fall in love with
climbing is the best in the world. He smirks at me with a twinkle in his
eye, and we rack up for another of his old, magnicent routes. He and
Mike enjoy watching another member of our posse, 24-year-old Dakota
Walz, grunt his way up a steep 5.10 offwidth to hand crack they rst
climbed in the early 1980s.
I suppose hes right that the best climbing is all in your individual
perspective. Here we are smack dab in the absolute middle of the country, as far as you can be from the Rockies, or the desert, or the Sierra,
or the Gunks, or anywhere the majority of American climbers dream
of going. We might as well be on an island. Clearly those who adapt to
island life thrive, and those who dont, well, they move to Boulder.
CLIMBING.COM
| 59
62 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Beta
GET THERE Missouri crags are
spread all over, but the majority
are plumb in the middle. Major
hubs Kansas City and St. Louis
are on opposite sides of the state,
both off I-70. From either, you
can be climbing in two hours on
granite, limestone, or sandstone.
Warsaw and Trappers Camp are
both on Truman Lake arms. Boone
County areas are primarily along the
240-mile Katy Trail that runs from
Clinton to St. Louis. Peters Branch
and other bouldering areas are closest to Springeld, near the central
southern border. Northern Arkansas
climbing is right over the state line.
Kansas City has a local sport crag
downtown and some bouldering in
Swope Park. Check mountainproject.com for more detailed directions to your chosen crag.
GUIDEBOOK Mo Beta: Rock
Climbing in Missouri, by Jeremy
CLIMBING.COM
| 63
Show-Me
State Classics
THE SAINT (5.7)
Trappers Camp
Slightly under-vertical hand
crack dihedral. Watch out for
scolopendra heros (poisonous
centipedes).
ANDROMEDA SPRAIN (5.8)
Andromeda
The ultimate Missouri trad
routea 90-foot winding
dihedral with plentiful face
holds to keep it casual.
PROHIBITION (5.11A)
Providence
A classic old-school ake
line with a couple bolts when
there is no gear to be had.
INDIAN DRUG CARPET
(5.11C)
Warsaw
Steep Rie-esque blocks
and pinches hanging out over
Truman Lake.
SAINT JUDY (5.12A)
Warsaw
Techy and sustained with a
punch to the anchors that
sends many ying.
66 | SEPTEMBER 2014
South Tyrol
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4,322 routes
300 days of sunshine
1 2
4a 4a
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5
6a+
6c+
7a+
6b+
6b+
10
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11
7c
12
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14
13 6b+
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Discover the
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and its splendous
sportclimbing spots in
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and South Tyrol.
68 | SEPTEMBER 2014
climbing.com/apps
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of Barnes & Noble, Ink. Amazon, Kindle, Kindle Fire, and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com or its afliates.
70 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Island Time
CLIMBING.COM
| 73
Tick List
Tour the Bracs most
classic lines.
BANANAQUIT (5.7)
Sea Horse
Beware the modest rating
this long route has great
climbing but traverses some
rock too sharp to risk a fall!
Climb the spiny slab past a
bulge or two and into a steep
dihedral.
74 | SEPTEMBER 2014
FAKE LEFT,
MOVE RIGHT (5.10D)
Orange Streak
Techy, devious climbing
with some tricky traverse
sequences that require some
back and forth. Try not to miss
the invisible clipping hold at
the anchor. Make sure your
belayer is paying attention!
PARROT PRESERVES ON
RYE (5.10D)
Wave Wall
Long and technical! Up a
moderate wall (a nice 5.8 in
itself, with its own anchor),
out a pumpy bulge, and then
more testy moves on an
exposed headwall. You can
extend this for another couple
of bolts and top out the crag.
THROWIN THE
TORTUGA (5.11B)
The Point
Climbs at the Point are
impossible to see before you
commit, so if youre new to
the crag, its hard to decide
where to start. If you climb
at the grade, this is a great
option. For an easier intro, try
Shiver Me Timbers (5.10b),
which has a short crux, a huge
palm tree anchor, and a belay
ledge high off the water.
DIXONS DELIGHT (5.11B)
Dixons Wall
Awesome overhanging
owstone, just like the routes
nearby, but a bit easier. If
5.11+ to low 5.12 is your
grade, youll have a blast in
LEAPIN LIZZARDS
(5.11D/5.12A)
Love Shack
Park-and-huck climbing.
Stick-clip the rst bolt and
start throwing. Huge holds,
huge reaches, huge fun, but
usually sunny and hot.
PIRATES OF
PENANCE (5.12B)
Wave Wall
Steep and stout! Make long,
contortionist moves between
big holes and pockets (harder
than it looks) to a sequential
crux up high and an airy run
to the anchors. Dont give up
until youre at the top!
Jeff Achey at the powerful lower crux of Carpe Stalactite (5.12b) at Dixons.
The route heads toward the large stalactite on the climbers right and requires
stemming over to reach it, and then climbing the outside.
First, the Caribbean Current that bathes the island with warm water
also carries an alarming amount of plastic garbage to Cayman Brac,
forming a broad, multi-colored berm about 100 feet back from the
shore. Faded shampoo, pop, oil, and detergent bottles, netting, oats,
Styrofoam bits, and thousands of shoes of all kindssandals, pumps,
clogs, Crocs, slippers, sneakers, loafers. Never in pairs.
As the trip progressed, protracted new-route scoping and equipping
would occasionally give way to short bursts of climbing in an inefficient
party of three. One day, John invited along a 15-year-old tourist girl
who didnt know how to climb, and Amber ended up belaying her for
two hours on the rst 10 feet of a route at Dixons Wall while we were
off bolting. Excited about my new route, I barely noticed. After a few
long outings where she averaged two or three pitches, Amber started
skipping climbing days and going on bike rides, alone. It pains me to
recall some of my blunders that trip. I think, in the end, our relationship
got stronger because of our tropical vacation in the Cayman Islands, but
denitely not in the way I had envisioned.
On the second go, I was determined to bring Amber back and do the
trip right. And now, there we were, rst day out, having an epic. Seriously? Another massive wave set thundered in, making me shudder at the
thought of us out on the slabs that blocked our way home. I imagined us
belly down on razor-sharp rock, clinging for dear life with bleeding hands
as a wave exploded over our heads. We had 45 minutes of daylight left.
I called up to Amber. She couldnt hear me, but having understood our
plight long before I gured it out, she needed no explanation. I gestured
vigorously for her to come down. She said I told you so with one look.
We quickly collected our gear and sprinted back to the center of the
wall, where the belay zone was more protected and a long 5.10d topped
out the bluff. Id been up top during several new-routing forays, and
though there was no walk-off through the impenetrable thicket beyond
the rim, I had something of a plan. AnyLeft: Jeff Achey surveys the Wave
thing would be better than risking those
Wall for his new route The Huckster
wave-battered approach slabs.
(12c/d). Below: Amber Johnstone
Burdened by our packs, pulling on draws
climbs the owstone of Dixons
with abandon, and oblivious to the superb
Delight (5.11b), a classic route on
Dixons Wall.
climbing, we yarded through the overhangs
FIND A GUIDE
BECOME ONE
AMGA.COM
and topped out at last light. Sans headLocal veterinarian Ioana Popescu
checks the next sequence just after
lamps, we tiptoed across upturned blades of
pulling over the crux move on No
limestone in the few feet of exposed rock beProblem, Mon (5.10a), at the Point.
tween the thorny vegetation and the abyss.
This wall features shade almost all
Waves thundered below, and lightning lit up
day in the winter.
huge storm clouds on the horizon.
After a stressed half hour, we reached
a point above a new route on a section of cliff climbers left of the wavethreatened slabs. At least thats where I thought we were. An exceedingly sketchy belayed downclimb brought us to that routes anchor, and we
rapped to the ground. The hike back to the carnormally a 15-minute
strolltook us more than an hour in the dark, but we were so glad to be
alive that we didnt care.
Most climbers would nd it difficult to get in as much trouble on the Brac
as I have, though. The routes are generously bolted with corrosion-proof
titanium, and for the most part theyre clean and easy to get to. True, the
Wave Wall approach is to be respected, but getting to the excellent venues of
Dixons, Love Shack, and the Orange Wall sectors requires no derring-do.
Dixons, behind the neighborhood of Spot Bay, is the Bracs most
gymnastic crag, with a dozen long, overhanging routes on shady owstone; most are four-star classics in the 5.11c to 5.12b range. Love Shack
is often too hot and sunny, but in cooler conditions its concentration
of testy 5.11s and 5.12s is not to be missed. The Orange Cave/Orange
Streak/Theology sector is the islands most moderate and popular venue, with enjoyable routes from 5.7 to low 5.11 in a beautifully aesthetic
seaside setting.
And then there is the Point, the dramatic northeast terminus of the
islands bluff, where vertical and overhanging cliffs drop directly into the
ocean. With access only by rappel, its inconvenient and intimidating, but
no climbing trip to the Brac is complete without at least one Point day.
Despite our apparent penchant for disaster, the rest of our stay unfolded without further drama, and our Point day proved to be pure
pleasure. We piloted our rental car up onto the spine of the island. The
forest on either side was cut occasionally by side roads, but there were
no ocean views or indication of the cliffs. Finally, at a small lighthouse
on the northeast tip of the island, the road ended and an incredible
panorama opened. A stones throw from the car, cliffs dropped 150 feet
into deep water. The blue Caribbean stretched to the horizon, ecked
with whitecaps. Frigates and boobies patrolled the sky. We peered over
the edge and spotted a green-backed tortuga basking on the surface.
A hundred yards away lay the top anchors to our chosen route, Blackbeards Revenge (5.10b), and we dropped our packs near a small booby
colony. Wed climbed in plenty of airy places, from Yosemite to the Alps
to Verdon to the Black Canyon, but agreed that starting a sport route
at the Point was as intimidating as any of these. I tied a double knot in
the end of the static line wed borrowed from the Bluff house, and Amber rapped down rst, clipping a few directionals to stay near the wall.
As Amber led up, a crab scuttled out of a nearby pocket. The water
sloshed and thumped in the undercuts below my feet, but the sea was
relatively calm, thankfullyclimbers have been completely doused by
waves at belays here. The runouts were noticeably longer than at the
Bracs other crags, and with the noise of the waves and the long pitches,
good leader/belayer communication was difficult. The rock was excellent, albeit with the occasional loose hold. With the exception of the
sporadic shing boat and whomever you bring with you that day, youre
more likely to see dolphins than another person.
As Amber neared the top, a booby ew by low and fast, chased by a
frigate that was trying to steal its sh. They swerved and dove in synchrony, the booby eventually eluding its pursuer. The sea around the Caymans
is teeming with sh, and I couldnt help think it would be a lot easier for
the frigate to catch his own. But I guess its a matter of temperament. Like
certain climbers on a romantic, tropical sport climbing vacation, they nd
a way to make life a bit more interesting. //
78 |
SEPTEMBER 2014
Beta
GET THERE Fly into the international airport on Grand Cayman,
then charter a puddle jumper to
the Brac (caymanairways.com).
Most climbers rent a car for their
stay, but the island is small enough
(9 miles long) to navigate by
bicycle.
STAY Camping is not allowed on
the island (a bummer), so youll
need to rent a place. John Byrnes
Bluff View house is a great option,
and it provides several key amenities such as a stick-clip and static
line for Point rappels (climbcaymanbrac.com/lodging).
REST DAY Activities include biking, hiking, exploring the islands
numerous small caves, and, of
course, snorkeling. You can rent
snorkeling and scuba gear, as
Havana
CUBA
Cayman Brac
ON THE
ROAD TO
FIND OUT
WHEN A TEAM OF
AMERICAN CLIMBERS
SETS OFF FOR MYANMAR
TO DETERMINE THE
HIGHEST POINT IN
SOUTHEAST ASIA,
THEY FIND THAT
THE ANSWER
MATTERS LESS
THAN THE QUESTION.
BY MOLLY LOOMIS
PHOTOS BY MARK FISHER
CLIMBING.COM
| 81
82 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Gamlang Razi, might be higher than Hkakabo Razi, the mountain long
considered to be Myanmar and Southeast Asias highest. For me, there
was another motive: After two and a half years in and out of surgeries, physical therapy, extended light duty for a major knee surgery gone
wrong, and then a rare spinal cord condition, which for a while made
me unsure Id ever climb again, I was nally mountain-ready. Gamlang
Razi offered a chance to ll up on the soul-fuel of which Id been so
starved.
Ang Cho nishes my reading. Its accurate, if a little vague, like any
backpage horoscope. Yep, Ive had some difficulties this year. Yep,
things are getting better. But there is no prediction of tragedy or triumph related to the mountain weve come halfway around the world to
climb. He simply says that if I want to accomplish something, I should
put my mind to it, and it will be possible. And so we organize our loads.
As we head deeper into Hkakabo Razi National Parks jungle, I replay over and over my time by Ang Chos re. I worry that the ambiguity
means he divined something he didnt want to share. He knows enough
to know the importance of the days that lie ahead.
SIX MONTHS EARLIER, American climber (and my better half )
Andy Tyson and Burmese climbers Win Ko Ko, Po Pin, and Than Pai
Hkakabos 5,881-meter measurement comes from a ground-based triangulation survey conducted the old-school way by the Indian Army
in 1925. That elevation was used and popularized by the British naturalist Francis Kingdon-Ward, who made several expeditions to Myanmars northern territory and documented his explorations in several
botany books, each rife with adventure (who knew?). Takashi Ozaki, a
talented Japanese climber, made the rst ascent of Hkakabo Razi with
local Burmese-Tibetan Namar Jonsain in 1996. Although Ozaki had
an impressive resume, including the rst full ascent of Everests North
Face and six 8,000-meter peaks in winter, he was thwarted on his rst
attempt by crevasses too large to cross without ladders in Hkakabos
eastern icefall. Ozaki had relied on Wards books for reference, further
spreading the 5,881-meter measurement. However, American, Chinese,
and Russian maps we researched all placed Hkakabo lower (anywhere
from 5,691 to 5,758 meters) and Gamlang Razi higher. Our visits to the
Harvard Map Library and conversations with GIS experts and mapping
professionals were inconclusive. So, armed with a survey-grade differential GPS, our team hoped to provide a critical piece of the puzzle, a
reliable measurement recorded from Gamlangs summit. With all the
contradictory data, could Gamlang Razi in fact be higher?
SNOW! I YELL TO ERIC. It is another day in an endless jungle blur of sweating like a faucet, but off in the distance is a speck of
white tucked into a north-facing nook, away from the equatorial suns
rays. Finally, proof that the high mountains wed come to climb actually existed. Wed hiked down and up countless accordion-like ravines,
battling leeches, sandies, swarms of bees, unholy temperatures, and
humidity, and frankly I began to wonder if wed ever see the mountains.
As Southeast Asias largest intact temLeft: Molly Loomis and Po Pin make
perate rainforest, the area is home to ve
the nal push toward Gamlang
different indigenous tribes, including
Razis summit.
poison dartwielding pygmies, and a meRight: Eric Daft cools off on the apnagerie of weird plant and animal species
proach that winds through Hkakabo
Razi National Park.
like barking deer, leaf deer, and coveted
CLIMBING.COM
| 83
medicinal plants. The area had been closed to foreigners for three years,
and in some places they hadnt seen outsiders for nearly a decade. Each
night we descend upon a different village; our crew of porters, liaisons,
and an eclectic entourage of hiking enthusiasts sleep in the schoolhouse
or the village chief s bamboo hut, balanced above the ground on stilts.
We have walked back in time to a way of life as unplugged as it gets. But
with Myanmars recent opening and the transformative changes that
are inevitable with the development predicted to follow, the chance to
be in northern Myanmar at this moment in history is a gift.
Now, 156 miles in, the thick jungle transitions to gnarled webs of rhododendron and patches of trampoline moss. Four days and 30 more
miles later, we arrive at our basecamp, a wonderland of dark towering
pines, craggy peaks, and mazes of tall wildowers swirling with mist (or
a drenching downpour, depending on the moment). From here, we hope
to set a high camp 4,000 feet above, where we can scout a ridgeline that
looked promising from the satellite data. As we trek uphill, we slow our
pace to compensate for the heavy loads and the thinning air. Namar Jonsain, a national hero for his rst ascent of Hkakabo Razi, lopes across the
steep slopes, bending down with his machete to search for prized roots
like machit that attract tribesmen from all over, including illegal Chinese
hunters wielding guns. He offers me a small white nugget of machit for
strength and power. I ash to the last time I accepted a mysterious substance from a friendly local. It was some kind of Chinese snuff, and my
nostrils burned for days. But Namar is like Myanmars Tenzing Norgay.
84 |
SEPTEMBER 2014
I cant resist. Its the alpinists version of the sacrament direct from the
Pope. I crunch down on the earthy ball. Its bitter with no other effects.
High on the ridgeline, we nd intricate traps handmade with bamboo
for catching blue sheep, and even the rare sky-blue poppy Ward wrote
of. But we dont nd water, so for the next seven days we ferry loads up,
down, and up again through talus and alpine meadows to our high camp
on Gamlangs west side. A cold downpour accompanies us with thick fog
and temperatures hovering around freezing. Weve glimpsed the bottom
quarter of our intended route, but after nearly a month, we have yet to
see the summit. Lying in my sleeping bag, listening to the rain, I think the
mountain doesnt want to be climbed; she isnt ready to reveal her mystery.
On day 31 of our journey, Marc De Keyser, a meteorologist friend
from Antarctica, texts a weather report to our sat phone. Its short but
has the rst mention of suneven if crypticsince leaving Zondham.
At 3 a.m. our alarms sound, and we begin ascending in a light drizzle
that turns to snow as we reach the 16,000-foot level. We scatter in the
icefalls labyrinth to scout a pathway. After 180 miles of trekking, gaining a cumulative 60,000 feet, and managing to stay healthy despite
the unending threat of jungle funk, venomous snakes, and swarms of
bees, I realize that in a single step it could all be over. Ultimately its the
things we cant control, like the weather, the snow, and the crevasses
that will determine our success or our failure.
It goes! calls Andy from his perch in the icefall. The rest of us rope
up and dig our crampons into the ice.
At 18,000 feet we stop. From the nv onward, the route had maintained a consistent pitch, steep enough to keep us working hard but not
angled enough to bother with pro. The sky remains milky; we cant see
beyond the end of the rope team. Luckily, despite the poor visibility, the
terrain naturally corralled us in the right direction. But as the gradual
ramp opens into a small bowl, we hit a headwall of clean, splitter granite (just the kind wed been looking for 3,000 feet lower). We need to
catch the correct ridgeline to the left, but the clouds are too thick to discern a path. Three times we start off, wary of what might be overhead.
Three times we turn around. Finally, as mutters of packing it in for the
day begin surfacing, the cream thins just enough to catch the electric
blue of the serac fall were looking for, the handrail we need that will
take us to the summit.
We step-kick on, unsure of what insurmountable micro-feature
might lurk ahead. We stumble into trap doors created by underlying sugary snow. We place a few pickets as the angle steepens; the ice
screws and rock pro remain on our racks, for now. We break in a large
wind scoop free of crevasses and gobble bars. The clouds clear again,
just enough to see the snowy cap of the summit above us. Five hundred
feet and what looks like less than a quarter-mile to go. Its cold, and I
keep my black balaclava tucked over my nose, my hood cinched around
my helmet. The sweat and heat of the jungle feel forever ago, and for the
rst time in more than two years, this cockeyed plan feels like it could
work. We move cheval across the nal ridgeline. I belay Po Pin onto
THIRTY MILES AWAY, Ang Cho sits with translator Soe Thu Win.
The mountains dont like to be entered, Ang Cho says. But once
they are, once theyve been climbed, the mountains open. The team has
climbed the mountain. The rain that had been pouring down for 10
days has stopped, and the sun breaks through the clouds at 2:30 p.m.
No one told Ang Cho that 12 hours earlier wed woken in darkness to
begin our climb. Is this a good tale or the truth? I dont know, but here
anything seems possible.
Descending back to basecamp in a golden late-afternoon glow, we
hear the stream roaring signals of the end of our expedition. Our time
climbing in Myanmar is over. Despite the challenges, successes, and a
lifetime of experiences to ponder, sadness oods me.
Like the rivulets running down the hillside to the basecamp stream
that then runs to the river, to the ocean, and onward with the current,
the quest isnt over. Its just the beginning.
This year a Myanmar team headed to Nepal to attempt Mount Everest. A Singapore-based Burmese man is organizing an ambitious Seven
Summits circuit for a Myanmar team that will include women. Another Myanmar team will attempt Hkakabo Razi this fall. The countrys
rst climbing wall was just built in a Yangon backyard, and the TCCM
has plans for more expeditions and crag development. Also this year,
another chapter of this story will be written: Hkakabos measurement
will be ground-truthed, also with a survey-grade GPS, and the question
of what is Southeast Asias tallest peak will be laid to rest.
After returning home, I Skyped with Takashi Ozakis widow, Frederique and asked her what she thought of our expedition and the height
question. In a thick French accent and dragging on a cigarette in the
sexy, indifferent way that only a French woman can, she said she was
curious to know the answer, But I hope Hkakabo is higher.
We laughed, brought together by the passion, challenges, and mysteries of this far-ung place that so few will ever know. For me, this is
more valuable than the answer to the question. //
CLIMBING.COM
| 85
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THE FLOW
Which Climber Town Do You Belong In?
BY KEVIN CORRIGAN
START HERE
Does the presence of bolts
(aside from anchors) offend you?
Bouldering,
sport, or
all kinds of
climbing.
To each
their own.
I prefer that
climbing be
scary.
Keep
climbing
bold!
Theres only
one season:
climbing
season.
Love em,
particularly
what they
do to leaves.
Endless
boulders.
Throngs
of rugged,
single men.
A small
town where
I know every
climber by
name.
I buy it
from a local
farmers
market.
The
splitterest
cracks.
A small city
with plenty
of restaurants
and some
larger buildings.
A place with
strong hippy
vibes.
I take it from
the dumpster
behind a
local farmers
market.
A small
German village, but in
America.
That answer
changes
weekly.
I love to
deprive my
brain of oxygen one way
or another.
Dont make
me choose!
MOAB, UTAH
BOULDER, COLORADO
Welcome to trad
heaven, where bold
climbing is a fact
of life. Some call
the Gunks 5.6 roof
routes sandbagged,
but before long
youll agree that
the rest of the
countrys grades are
just soft. New Paltz
might be surrounded by farms, but the
local college keeps
things interesting,
and NYC is less than
two hours away.
Weirdos tend to
ock to the desert,
and Moab is no
exception. This is a
place of oddballs,
hermits, hippies,
freegans, andcraziest of allBASE
jumpers. But theres
no denying these
people know how
to have fun. And if
splitter cracks and
beautiful desert
towers are your
thing, well, Moab
has those, too.
88 | SEPTEMBER 2014
Just trad!
CHATTANOOGA,
TENNESSEE
Chattanooga is the
largest on our list
at 170,000 people,
but the laid-back
atmosphere full of
Southern charm
keeps it pleasant.
It gets humid, but
its a small price for
year-round climbing temps and eight
crags within an
hour. Pro-tip: Buy
a kayak to t in.
Everyone here has
a kayak.
BISHOP, CALIFORNIA
Theres no better place in the
country to be a
boulderer (except
maybe Tahoe).
Bishop is small and
relaxed. There are
enough climbers
here to form a
community, but not
so many that any
rock gets swarmed,
siege style. And
where else can you
relax in a hot spring
after a long day of
projecting?
I dont mess
with altitude
and/or
controlled
substances.
LEAVENWORTH,
WASHINGTON
No climbing here.
The only things in
this faux-Bavarian
tourist town are
pretzels, beer, and
bearded single men.
Leavenworth denitely doesnt have
an innite amount
of boulders, roped
routes, and quality
ice. Better off looking in these other
towns for those.
Move along. Nothing to see here.
A VAN
Why choose one
town when you can
live everywhere?
When you live in
a van, any level
ground is home.
Van life comes
with its own challenges, like reliable
employment and
Internet access, but
what you get is the
freedom to chase
perfect weather
and climb yearround wherever
you please.
ALTO
Photo www.kalice.fr