tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32942812571152268512024-02-21T05:29:14.787-08:00vertiCALIClimbing with a Golden State of MindXanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-72506294889311954042012-10-07T20:45:00.001-07:002012-10-07T20:48:08.428-07:00Yosemite 09/29-10/01/2012This was the first trip ever out to the valley for Steve and I, it was a blast. The park is a climbers heaven, a surreal experience to say the least. We unfortunately caught it on a bad week. The temps were in the mid 80's and there was a huge volunteer group helping to clean the park-which is awesome-however, they took up a lot of camp space, making it impossible to get a site in the park. The crowds made it difficult to try working any of the classic problems. This forced us to explore some of the lesser popular lines, making the trip all the more adventurous. The rock is so good, it made any problem feel top shelf. We were constantly on the move to different areas working our way further from the masses and somehow feeling closer, more in tune with the park. It was truly a beautiful experience, I can't wait to make my way back out there again this season.<a href="https://vimeo.com/50932773">https://vimeo.com/50932773</a>RamrodThunderFisthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01662403698536090091noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-42772705259612255042012-09-22T06:10:00.001-07:002012-09-22T06:10:59.091-07:00It's Been A Little BitSo, after going AWOL for nearly a year inspiration has struck and I decided to breathe a bit o' life back into vertiCALI. Chris has been making some fun videos of our climbing lately, and I thought I would resuscitate this bitch with a neat video of my first 5.12 send, a route called The Drifter at Malibu Creek. Enjoy!<br />
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<br />Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-4630158169640155162011-10-07T11:44:00.000-07:002011-10-07T11:44:28.349-07:00Mithral Dihedral PhotosHere are the images we captured during our big day out, enjoy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris packs up his absurd bag</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sure, he is smiling now but. . .</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The turn off </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above Lower Boyscout Lake</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crucial</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-aQLpeP4100VEaUcTUsaZSKVaenoELwwTxD9vvgYdn3D7QF-FHM4XRthQ4MFRZq3uWAZ8ggq9FCRycniMhaQnzCfOojyaDLi9Mkg642n8c2SqwPCn0V-XTJrWgnGgXiOTx-yRyf9H1s5/s1600/DSCN0885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF-aQLpeP4100VEaUcTUsaZSKVaenoELwwTxD9vvgYdn3D7QF-FHM4XRthQ4MFRZq3uWAZ8ggq9FCRycniMhaQnzCfOojyaDLi9Mkg642n8c2SqwPCn0V-XTJrWgnGgXiOTx-yRyf9H1s5/s320/DSCN0885.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Racked up and ready to hike</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9en5bLbj9yF-ElJNujNZ9bnf-VUvGhPopqOyRn0fuqfBvt9epsyoI2Z10v7CKdZpdoqCPIXKLnxT4N1KkSysi-U-5maMGMMUJJxN6bgt5JEVrZ59jIYWw-IDo8OB5H6ofkStgLbwH7t8X/s1600/DSCN0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9en5bLbj9yF-ElJNujNZ9bnf-VUvGhPopqOyRn0fuqfBvt9epsyoI2Z10v7CKdZpdoqCPIXKLnxT4N1KkSysi-U-5maMGMMUJJxN6bgt5JEVrZ59jIYWw-IDo8OB5H6ofkStgLbwH7t8X/s320/DSCN0887.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">At Iceberg Lake</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvK1cfpZoFNMIvhNwbtSgZhXjTtikXzIQ5MZ47jHTe4UM02t06Bq6PMOEBBmRq0EgALwrCGfTyJXdDzEgjgqYIkAGsnDM_XL3sarK7mcBnzy67yaHIVXPuM0L_MXSn5QIPhKGniLM_i8h3/s1600/DSCN0893.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvK1cfpZoFNMIvhNwbtSgZhXjTtikXzIQ5MZ47jHTe4UM02t06Bq6PMOEBBmRq0EgALwrCGfTyJXdDzEgjgqYIkAGsnDM_XL3sarK7mcBnzy67yaHIVXPuM0L_MXSn5QIPhKGniLM_i8h3/s320/DSCN0893.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mithral!</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaOv75QVP-H0jt4EyDkuYmVsuoarMQKccRv4gfBYFFBR54NLTyUbhN97Is7SAn4pviq75Y9gYWfUiH59Pw1JGvK2ER3_j-f3gJenHP_Var7PaYyYt89swEPS9qZzRbOV07WuxMvXzMtZa/s1600/DSCN0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIaOv75QVP-H0jt4EyDkuYmVsuoarMQKccRv4gfBYFFBR54NLTyUbhN97Is7SAn4pviq75Y9gYWfUiH59Pw1JGvK2ER3_j-f3gJenHP_Var7PaYyYt89swEPS9qZzRbOV07WuxMvXzMtZa/s320/DSCN0898.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the first lead</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjjS_JRGSKUPNoTPpzBfDGundluIoIK7iC6JmQAy_godgX15QinRlSMLXRyYIBjJz-Ln7uuwH5OwPATB-p7yfiPFs4QeDnWtAFThXtSN8TiiyUCkTFiVgB12Ig7tZzgOrxLainqvi_78w/s1600/DSCN0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyjjS_JRGSKUPNoTPpzBfDGundluIoIK7iC6JmQAy_godgX15QinRlSMLXRyYIBjJz-Ln7uuwH5OwPATB-p7yfiPFs4QeDnWtAFThXtSN8TiiyUCkTFiVgB12Ig7tZzgOrxLainqvi_78w/s320/DSCN0903.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris is one stoked prairie dog</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mid-route supplementation</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGC8-NmCl_E3FqyEmQybEsV7DfpnKqx1ZPQ7sD5Vi2k60Hxm49rb3MT18pAIxus0BCc-fT0LsNnK7f4BIyFlVw3HjdcLjUU8QY0VzLwH_8x5TMcRI8F3WdHL9bCuuj91MXmC3ApvUviY9/s1600/DSCN0944.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPGC8-NmCl_E3FqyEmQybEsV7DfpnKqx1ZPQ7sD5Vi2k60Hxm49rb3MT18pAIxus0BCc-fT0LsNnK7f4BIyFlVw3HjdcLjUU8QY0VzLwH_8x5TMcRI8F3WdHL9bCuuj91MXmC3ApvUviY9/s320/DSCN0944.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Above Lower Boyscout again, on the descent this time</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5prxs-pQ7C9M6A1KxRVn0E5TfcTN4NdgHYd5bwhv4AOQH-8shbaSo_FsNfjBernsZAimbIcVgy4LZoENxzDjYWlAajXxANLEqxHRkt0MxJ-uYSteYGlZR7H8HjFkYt2z258NxtDc_qmB/s1600/DSCN0904.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh5prxs-pQ7C9M6A1KxRVn0E5TfcTN4NdgHYd5bwhv4AOQH-8shbaSo_FsNfjBernsZAimbIcVgy4LZoENxzDjYWlAajXxANLEqxHRkt0MxJ-uYSteYGlZR7H8HjFkYt2z258NxtDc_qmB/s320/DSCN0904.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">These next few are out of order, but more shots of the climbing action</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglevFDLPCPdoPbFHkR_bMQuNsRBL9ZQiiteNJ9kDReZQCWlFtEZuAj3M_wzLuQJ85wUFjk6W5FqfkJzP9UBVPN-GFY5cHKU5e_Vyp9CHzD6mLkXUsrntJOBt0Y3WOvOnhEb-YDishKIkE/s1600/DSCN0906.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhglevFDLPCPdoPbFHkR_bMQuNsRBL9ZQiiteNJ9kDReZQCWlFtEZuAj3M_wzLuQJ85wUFjk6W5FqfkJzP9UBVPN-GFY5cHKU5e_Vyp9CHzD6mLkXUsrntJOBt0Y3WOvOnhEb-YDishKIkE/s320/DSCN0906.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MiPQv0-1lQyi-T_Z1-b8H6Nir53DJ9vVquvRc_j8MNyuhWO9KSsqk3973-Sv_Nw-S-nKPpc76hjyY2yu7v1UGgnY1r4NYyW9W1it7Kry2ao5Ixsta0AY9Cv8ChVgn_-KMxsuwCkSMq8C/s1600/DSCN0911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7MiPQv0-1lQyi-T_Z1-b8H6Nir53DJ9vVquvRc_j8MNyuhWO9KSsqk3973-Sv_Nw-S-nKPpc76hjyY2yu7v1UGgnY1r4NYyW9W1it7Kry2ao5Ixsta0AY9Cv8ChVgn_-KMxsuwCkSMq8C/s320/DSCN0911.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5tH62ORPS3hHDeKhgm-mm9gUfAOgs5X_u5BdGujN_OU3mwNOvbQU88CEcmardRrYq2-q4JawDn-argCGQWVScRbhNMkivBYTz4FL9qk-9jpCe7aLL3zJbVS-MH6SaPZeGDUg0Uy5Zzf5/s1600/DSCN0913.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA5tH62ORPS3hHDeKhgm-mm9gUfAOgs5X_u5BdGujN_OU3mwNOvbQU88CEcmardRrYq2-q4JawDn-argCGQWVScRbhNMkivBYTz4FL9qk-9jpCe7aLL3zJbVS-MH6SaPZeGDUg0Uy5Zzf5/s320/DSCN0913.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The meat. </td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dLw5-dVWMxA-Gu-sijoBN3Z7NJYwv_hQfx8n4RX4wnt7L9rqWZxxfDMog1tfAXW0oZIT8Wha3nTOzHDt5Oz-YwoqJpNHZe7Ykj4RfrEowGrm4BcxOKw3_debwKK_a-jmV1STTBlLWgXu/s1600/DSCN0914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6dLw5-dVWMxA-Gu-sijoBN3Z7NJYwv_hQfx8n4RX4wnt7L9rqWZxxfDMog1tfAXW0oZIT8Wha3nTOzHDt5Oz-YwoqJpNHZe7Ykj4RfrEowGrm4BcxOKw3_debwKK_a-jmV1STTBlLWgXu/s320/DSCN0914.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The feet.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwYZI9EU-8m3wt2l3oerL2uDX2WPasxRu9w1OcVhjur_2sv2p5uY54VhIFD6n92oy6OxOE42oQQozgKF1k8lfpgXPwxqFPWnpj88fLzh8n9j1AtaoBCY4ETtRdHfl4XdXXsIa3jPWVkNJ/s1600/DSCN0918.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzwYZI9EU-8m3wt2l3oerL2uDX2WPasxRu9w1OcVhjur_2sv2p5uY54VhIFD6n92oy6OxOE42oQQozgKF1k8lfpgXPwxqFPWnpj88fLzh8n9j1AtaoBCY4ETtRdHfl4XdXXsIa3jPWVkNJ/s320/DSCN0918.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMcPsgAK7hXhQpwlUbab3rA-rvrj7wOvztQAoDarxLCyG7r6PaRaUN1szjU3uvRmnIv6i1rUbvJZPlko-S31tpAfX9jyNCHqsnnqNpLrIGJIWDmsV3JLZmE311b2u_d8Qh2VGz8DK-sDd/s1600/DSCN0900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwMcPsgAK7hXhQpwlUbab3rA-rvrj7wOvztQAoDarxLCyG7r6PaRaUN1szjU3uvRmnIv6i1rUbvJZPlko-S31tpAfX9jyNCHqsnnqNpLrIGJIWDmsV3JLZmE311b2u_d8Qh2VGz8DK-sDd/s320/DSCN0900.JPG" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Partway up the first pitch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-2421336118636541472011-10-07T11:04:00.000-07:002011-10-07T11:04:44.899-07:00Mithral DihedralWell, it's been a while since this here blog has shown any signs of life. A combination of lots of work, climbing, and my general lack of desire to do shit when I get home led to a period of epic inactivity here in Verticali-land, but no more! I is back and to kick things off I'd like to share a bit about an adventure Chris Ramirez and I had on Mithral Dihedral (5.10, III) on Mt. Russell in the Eastern Sierra. So without further ado, here's the shit. . .<br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Fifteen feet above the relative safety of our rappel ledge I moved cautiously upward attempting to free our rope, which had snagged as we pulled it from our last anchor. I tested the big block, committed, and pulled hard in an effort to get closer to the snag, which was now in sight. Suddenly, the block flipped upwards and I let out a pathetic cry as I found myself balancing with the twenty-pound rock, now uprooted, resting firmly against my chest. I scrambled to find a jam in the too-wide crack just above me and finally, with a reasonable stance, shoved the hunk of granite off into the void. An initial silence was followed by the crack of the rock tumbling down featureless granite walls, casting a trail of sparks with each bounce before it disappeared into the dark void below; then silence.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>Two hours before Chris and I had signed the summit register on top of Mt. Russell (14,088 Ft.) and shared the warm embrace of success after hours of hard climbing up the beautiful Mithral Dihedral (5.10, III) in the Whitney zone of California’s Eastern Sierra. This was our first alpine climb, as well as our first trad climb at the 5.10 grade and it had gone off without a hitch; and as the sun set over the distant Western ranges we basked in the powerful feelings of success and accomplishment on a scale much grander than we had known before. We had chased thin cracks of possibility and come out on top.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>We left Los Angeles Tuesday morning, Sept. 20<sup>th</sup> and arrived in Lone Pine around 12:30 PM, after securing a permit and feasting on pizza and beer we drove up to Whitney Portal, loaded our gear, and began hiking up the North Fork of Lone Pine Creek. Chris’ pack was stuffed to the gills, hauling fifty pounds of gear (this was his first backpacking trip so we’ll forgive him that) including a giant tripod, two sleeping pads, and our entire climbing rack. My pack was a modest thirty-six pounds and I hauled the rope, bear canister, and tent. We moved at a leisurely pace and reached our camp at Upper Boyscout Lake around 7:00 PM. After setting up camp we feasted on some freeze-dried delectables; after thorough feasting and feeling sufficiently carbed-up we turned in for the night.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span> </span>After a rather fitful night’s sleep we awoke at 6:00 AM to the obnoxious beeping of my watch and rose to rack up and begin the two mile approach to the base of the route. We had planned on starting the hike by 7:00 AM but after a thorough session of dawdling we set off a bit after 8:00 AM. The approach proved more involved than we had anticipated and we found ourselves just above Iceberg Lake at the base of Mt. Whitney at 10:30. After trying unsuccessfully to talk Chris into heading up Whitney’s East Buttress and then crossing a small snowfield we scrambled up to the Whitney-Russell Col and finally, the route was in sight! It looked big. We made our way across the the valley between the two mountains and at 11:30 I was tied into the rope and ready to start up the route. The first two leads were mine and I cinched my shoes tight across my feet and began climbing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mithral’s first two pitches went quickly and efficiently, moderate climbing on well-spaced gear got us up to the base of the dihedral just before 1:00 PM. The weather was fantastic and my Nano Puff stayed clipped to the harness for most of the day, climbing in short-sleeves in the mountains is wonderful! But now we were hanging at the base of the business, nearly three hundred feet of vertical climbing at 13,000+ Ft; this was where the climb became real, so to speak. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">After pounding some Shot Blocks Chris racked up and began heading up the dihedral he moved quickly through the lower portion of the dihedral, running it out and saving gear. After bypassing the first crux section, about fifteen feet of unprotectable offwidth that called for some very exposed laybacking, Chris got a good rest and good gear. The rest of the pitch went, slowly but surely and after an hour on lead Chris built a semi-hanging belay and I huffed and puffed up as quickly as the altitude allowed. The next pitch, though much shorter than the previous, contained the technical crux of the climb, a slightly overhung section of layback crack to a wild step-across move. After a bit of encouragement and placing a pair of bomber Metolius Cams, Chris fired through the crux and with a wild whoop found himself on an amazing ledge with the most difficult climbing now over. I followed this pitch quickly and enjoyed every moment, climbing on top-rope sure is nice! We relaxed in the sun, finally secure on the huge ledge, and slurped down the last of our Gu. Reinvigorated we began up the last bit of roped climbing to the summit. Four or five more short, scrambly pitches up a ridge got us to another fine ledge where we unroped and third-classed our way to the summit.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;">With the sun rapidly descending behind us and a long, exposed third class ridge descent ahead of us we enjoyed the summit for a quick moment then began heading down Mt. Russell’s East Ridge. At this point I unstrapped my climb shoes and switched to my the runners. We descended the ridge quickly but lots of unexpected snow slowed our travel and we were forced off of the third class ledges and onto higher, quite exposed fourth class terrain. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">After passing Russell’s West Summit with the last rays of light disappearing and more snow ahead we made an executive decision: to continue on this slick, exposed terrain in the dark seemed dire, particularly given that we only had one headlamp between us, my trusty Black Diamond Gizmo. We had reached a promising looking chute and decided to begin rappelling rather than face more snow in the dark. We quickly slung a rock and began what would turn out to be a journey of many dark, lonely rappels. As I coiled my rope at the bottom of the first rappel the last of the day’s light disappeared and, just after 7:00 PM, I turned on my headlamp. From above it looked as if a single rappel would lead us to walkable terrain, but after walking down another fifty yards we reached a large drop-off with no visible bottom. Our only option at this point was to continue rappelling into the darkness, and hope for viable anchor points along the way. After two or three rappels Chris and I switched places and I began leading the descent. Each rappel into the unknown brought about a sickening feeling, particularly for the second man down, who did not have the headlamp to guide him. Finally, after several harrowing moments including the aforementioned stuck rope a final rappel dropped us on top of a huge scree field. It was now midnight, we had been in motion since early that morning, eaten the last of our food and water at 5:00 PM and we still faced an unknown hike back to camp. Still, with unwavering hope and PMA (positive mental attitude, a climber’s most important tool) we had made it through the unknown.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">For two hours we hiked through scree, talus, and over boulder fields until finally my headlamp caught the reflective glow of our tent. Overcome, we filled our bottles in Upper Boyscout and simply lay on the ground outside our tent for an hour, smoking cigarettes. Finally, at 3:00 AM we crawled into our sleeping bags and everything went blank.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">We rose four hours later, packed up camp, and began the five mile hike back down to the Whitney Portal. We had not eaten for a while and were eager to get to Lone Pine and gorge ourselves on whatever fatty offerings the town had available. After descending the North Fork we were back at the Portal before noon and enjoying the best beers and French fries of our lives. We continued the feast in Lone Pine and then, after a huge coffee, began the drive back to Los Angeles. The haze of our experience was slow to dissipate, but as the Sierra disappeared behind us we found ourselves flipping through our guidebook, planning the next adventure. We had tip-toed our way across the razor-sharp ridge of possibility and could not wait for more. . .</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">Due to the pain-in-the-ass factor of uploading text and pictures, the pictures of this trip are featured in a subsequent post. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: .5in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div> Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-81918391622069063882011-07-20T11:57:00.000-07:002011-07-20T11:57:56.893-07:00Just RopesYO! New apartment finally has some internet so I'm back in action! With unseasonably cool weather round here I've climbed a bunch, and had a blast. If you're not already, get out there!<br />
Today I wanted to tell ya'll about the homies at <a href="http://www.justropes.com/">www.justropes.com</a> and there new site, <a href="http://www.justbackpackonline.com/">www.justbackpackonline.com</a> These guys are awesome, and their sites, justropes in particular, are amongst the most comprehensive I've seen. Seriously, they have any rope in any size, color, etc. you could want, single, twin, and half; also, the search options make it simple to find a specific type of product from a range of brands. <br />
So when you start shopping for a new rope or pack check these guys first, great selection, good sales, and since you were so kind as to read about them here, here is a code for a 15% off discount on any purchase you make: XAN2011 Just punch it in when you check out and save a little dough!<br />
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So from all your friends here at Verticali, stay crackin' and keep the mind state Golden, peace!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-91592395202626286632011-06-27T11:14:00.000-07:002011-07-26T09:36:36.040-07:00Five Ten Quantum Review<style>
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</style>Oh, rock shoes; how I love thee and all your various derivations, from down-turned sickness to board-lasted stiffness, there is one of you for every conceivable application. This spring saw the introduction of tons of sick new shoes from nearly every manufacturer, and Five Ten is at the front of the pack with rad new ish in every category, from the wild looking Anasazi high top to the gnarly Hornet. I recently got my hands on a pair of their new sticky icky purple, the Quantum, and while I have only had ‘em for a month or so, initial impression is that they kill!
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</div><div class="MsoNormal">The Quantum is a pretty low volume down-turned lace-up shoe featuring Stealth Onyxx rubber; it is essentially a down-turned Anasazi lace. The fit on these things is spectacular, particularly the heel, which cups the heel far better than the dragon, despite being lower volume. The shoe appears quite down-turned out of the box but they flatten out with the foot inside, and smearing is excellent. The toe is super precise, finding and sticking to any little pocket you like. So far, I have primarily climbed ‘em on pocketed Breccia, and they excel in this regard. I have taken them on a couple edge-intensive climbs and here they are money as well, the down-turn provides enough stiffness for frontpointing without sacrificing sensitivity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqTKLrFbBJ4rrrhxl5TbO0_r3dL1P_rSOP0p1JyTeAnGx6mJ5C8jVzr5IU00W-zXyXgvXl5bAsOMxmJFVkaOu8u1lm5cTcPcAnhtR849Czwn55NYuYP0lj1AcxHSouR25ukfKepqyVjRP/s1600/DSC05324.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTqTKLrFbBJ4rrrhxl5TbO0_r3dL1P_rSOP0p1JyTeAnGx6mJ5C8jVzr5IU00W-zXyXgvXl5bAsOMxmJFVkaOu8u1lm5cTcPcAnhtR849Czwn55NYuYP0lj1AcxHSouR25ukfKepqyVjRP/s320/DSC05324.JPG" width="213" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal"> </div><div class="MsoNormal">So far, I love these shoes, they are comfortable, precise, and seem durable, though I will check back in with that info after a few more months of climbing. Also, call me shallow, but I kinda care about how my shoes look, and I am a big fan of purple shoes; I am stoked that I’ll no longer get the sideways stares when I have to ask to try a pair of Elektra’s (also a solid shoe, incidentally). Kudos to Five Ten for coming out with such badass kicks, I am stoked to continue climbing ‘em and will let ya’ll know how they hold up over the months. Keep the mind state Golden, Peace!</div><div class="MsoNormal">
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Pro’s: Purple like my drank homie, surgeon-like precision, fit-wise and on the rock, versatile, comfortable.</div><div class="MsoNormal">Con’s: Not sure yet, synthetic so maybe they’ll get stinky? Perhaps more after a few months</div><div class="MsoNormal">
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Got specific questions? Drop 'em in the comment box and I'll do my best to give ya what yer lookin' for </div>Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-1999610422226941142011-06-16T17:23:00.000-07:002011-06-16T17:23:28.609-07:00Partners in CrimeVertiCali is excited to announce a new partnership with <a href="http://www.justropes.com/">http://www.justropes.com/</a> as well as their new offshoot <a href="http://www.justbackpacksonline.com/">http://www.justbackpacksonline.com/</a><br />
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More details soon to follow. . .Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-31894548552260858792011-06-09T08:28:00.000-07:002011-06-09T08:28:14.109-07:00So Now Its JuneSo now it's June, what the fuck? May went by in a blink and with nary a word from your favorite somethings here at vertiCALI. Ah well, June gloom is here now, which must mean its summer, but wait! Its still tits cold (for LA, anyway) and overcast outside my window, this is good for climbing, but bad for Rachel, who needs a parka if the mercury settles any lower than 70. Anyways, lots of new shniz been goin' down, in life and climbing; the royal we got a new job at Adventure 16 in Tarzana, a radical outdoor outfitter with five stores down here in Socal, climbed a lot, was visited by the twin towers from the great white north, and finally redpointed 11! Phewf. . .<br />
Here are some pictures from a recent jaunt to Echo with Rachel, Ben, and Marri. A satisfying, beery day.<br />
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Kickin it off<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetF7HaREdDzNqXqcW26TtHpPOHywye_X_vV6dH_zIlixauCuNzKp765hB8iZqC7IfbOE-hq7RArxE2wXjTlMSI_iRbZq1XB2DjJTPhhxUJh2F-wtuLFvp8z6tcyO6Ro7ZEGYBUYqesS2z/s1600/DSC_0524.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjetF7HaREdDzNqXqcW26TtHpPOHywye_X_vV6dH_zIlixauCuNzKp765hB8iZqC7IfbOE-hq7RArxE2wXjTlMSI_iRbZq1XB2DjJTPhhxUJh2F-wtuLFvp8z6tcyO6Ro7ZEGYBUYqesS2z/s320/DSC_0524.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Notice the bitchin' new shoes? Five Ten Quantums, amazing, review soon to follow.<br />
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As always, thanks for flying with vertiCALI; we realize that you have many options when it comes to killing time on the net and appreciate your continued patronage. Keep the mind state Golden, Peace!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-85718382595660867802011-05-08T20:57:00.001-07:002011-05-08T20:57:35.592-07:00DudWell, I am embarrassed to be a Lakers fan today. Poor form, boys.Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-71467127724341639802011-05-05T08:40:00.000-07:002011-05-05T08:40:01.123-07:00Uggh. . .Well, perhaps my enthusiasm for ye olde purple and gold was a bit premature. seems like the color scheme may be changing back sooner than the royal we here at vertiCALI had hoped. There is still hope though. . . Right? Right?! Most important, in these dark times we gotta remember to keep the mind state Golden.<br />
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In other, non-Laker related news. Here is a sequence of me rockin the Chube, an awesome boulder problem in the Barker Dam area out in Josh. Credit goes to Chris Ramirez for the pictures and Steve for the spot, thanks dudes. (see Chris at flickr.com/ventures23)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVA-yGzqGRZD-yGll9_lnOIwz6DJkImz0E7dLgWqsL7IyrADig82X5FWVx49WZRXH7Wj3jQo_RdAp36Br0JPk0ljvOnUIaCCJ5fJ-49zRkPaCln9q9arB-EUnW10eyXzn4zgCp3QKpqVa/s1600/DSC03637.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxVA-yGzqGRZD-yGll9_lnOIwz6DJkImz0E7dLgWqsL7IyrADig82X5FWVx49WZRXH7Wj3jQo_RdAp36Br0JPk0ljvOnUIaCCJ5fJ-49zRkPaCln9q9arB-EUnW10eyXzn4zgCp3QKpqVa/s320/DSC03637.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-62214148502828222362011-04-29T07:29:00.000-07:002011-04-29T07:29:02.877-07:00Purp and YellowIn tribute to the might Lakers vertiCALI has gone purple and gold for the rest of their playoff run, threepeatin on 'em!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-77871236001010206282011-04-28T16:08:00.000-07:002011-04-28T16:08:27.603-07:00Ask vertiCALI: 4 Tips for BeginnersI have been climbing for a year now, and although this amounts to a short career I have learned something new every time I head out to the crags. I thought I would share some tips that have helped me as well as try and rectify some of the bad advice I was given.<br />
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1. Go Climb! This one is obvious but the quickest way to advance through the grades is to climb as much as possible. No matter how many pull-ups you can do, if you lack technique you ain't gettin off the ground.<br />
2. Climb Outside! Gym climbing is a great way to build strength and develop technique but 9 times out of ten what you are doing in the gym just does not translate to outdoor climbing; don't believe me? ask a super strong gym climber to go climb a crack or crank a hard mantel and watch the results.<br />
3. Make Friends! That is, make friends that <i>climb</i>. Finding a crew of friends climbing at a similar level helped me stay motivated, push grades, and have more fun. <br />
4. Get Good Shoes! One of the things that frustrates me most when I read about shoes and sizing is that beginners are constantly advised to just get some comfy, cheap shoes as they learn to climb. The people in this camp would argue that since good climbing shoes are expensive and beginners have sloppy footwork and may not fall in love with climbing they should start with something cheap. BULLSHIT! I followed this advice and after a month and a half of regular climbing I had a pair of sloppy, cheap, blown out shoes. If you get serious about climbing you will start to out climb those comfy shoes in a couple months, then you'll just end up buying the shoes you've really wanted all along. So if you are getting started climbing and you feel like this is something you want to pursue, do yourself a favor and buy some decent, tight-fitting shoes (My recommendation, the Five Ten Moccasym. See my earlier post regarding these killer slippers).<br />
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Happy thirsty Thursday and keep the mind state Golden!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCSC4q1EcPKKh3zcZyWBX_74bnwiefZscazTdXvlXKWAiXBUOp7OcogAk8iZ-fgqe3YGilnlVURCfyIL6zun2CIag_VTM_EKSgctYBMKiUvq19D3jQaIhcPAfcO0H2lzrBXPhN0WZlrNq/s1600/DSC_0343.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBCSC4q1EcPKKh3zcZyWBX_74bnwiefZscazTdXvlXKWAiXBUOp7OcogAk8iZ-fgqe3YGilnlVURCfyIL6zun2CIag_VTM_EKSgctYBMKiUvq19D3jQaIhcPAfcO0H2lzrBXPhN0WZlrNq/s320/DSC_0343.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Can't learn that in the gym. Nick mantels on Carousel Rock.Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-45918567039383960982011-04-11T16:15:00.000-07:002011-04-11T16:15:11.448-07:00Bishop Pictures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYqbkcYvQ1ODRLs4dBIqJL0ZZMKjK5sc9FAEmM2XfkS2zJgUe9a-1tSZ-HcDjKaZ25TX75YdaLkNpEc-YQSUcrQmpykAprSU3rfbscPzBtTZA5lGTz2gBkZ4v_Fa97jcITRYHbZxiY5Fb/s1600/Chris+O.+on+Green+Wall.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwYqbkcYvQ1ODRLs4dBIqJL0ZZMKjK5sc9FAEmM2XfkS2zJgUe9a-1tSZ-HcDjKaZ25TX75YdaLkNpEc-YQSUcrQmpykAprSU3rfbscPzBtTZA5lGTz2gBkZ4v_Fa97jcITRYHbZxiY5Fb/s320/Chris+O.+on+Green+Wall.jpg" width="213" /></a></div> There has been a rash of inactivity on this here blog and I aims to rectify that ish. The good thing is I have been out climbing in glorious locations a lot, and I have lots of new material with which to inundate thee. Here are a few pictures from day 1 of a trip to the fabulous boulders of Bishop, California (of course); as usual credit for many of the pictures goes to Chris Ramirez, see more of his fine work at flickr.com/ventures23. A more complete trip report is soon to follow but I figured I ought to whet the appetite of my avid fanbase (thanks mom and dad!).<br />
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This is Chris O. warming up on the Green Wall, a rad looking boulder with deceptively small holds.<br />
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Chris R. works on Flyboy, a burly V6 from which there is no escape. . . <br />
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Here I am on the Prow. <br />
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Sunset on the Sierra, sigh. . . <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLrXitYThh6CE-15eAoJ-HhPqyLafONsUINUoeHyMZGSZHo0aP-6ZnEk_9JRajH-naOujUzyTOeXd4eUP_I5JdjJbmhFXGDbQuuGe2VgiNi6mloKCjBcTtVRYpo_ttupRhdCjRiRry0xP/s1600/lampy+joe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhTLrXitYThh6CE-15eAoJ-HhPqyLafONsUINUoeHyMZGSZHo0aP-6ZnEk_9JRajH-naOujUzyTOeXd4eUP_I5JdjJbmhFXGDbQuuGe2VgiNi6mloKCjBcTtVRYpo_ttupRhdCjRiRry0xP/s320/lampy+joe.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlKJK0PTVxUWHkVKQcN4Wuuymks2xPKpBjM1iGh5x5wCvXQ_5yAkTY2ewl151pjN-u5nNy7JV_NgFdkhYPye6shpFopdYnKtxaBVaLUuE98YHASrJ4plY_vI9yJe6HAeBa7vy2__sAx5B/s1600/DSC_0419.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQlKJK0PTVxUWHkVKQcN4Wuuymks2xPKpBjM1iGh5x5wCvXQ_5yAkTY2ewl151pjN-u5nNy7JV_NgFdkhYPye6shpFopdYnKtxaBVaLUuE98YHASrJ4plY_vI9yJe6HAeBa7vy2__sAx5B/s320/DSC_0419.JPG" width="214" /></a>This is our campsite and one epic shot by Chris, enlarge it for full glory.<br />
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Rise and shine boys, the mountains are calling. . . Ah yes, but we're bouldering, the sport which makes mountains out of pebbles.<br />
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And here is the campsite in it's full morning glory. cozy, eh?<br />
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<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">Ahhh, the venerable Moccasym. This simple shoe has been helping climbers scalp the Custer’s of crags across the land for far longer than I’ve been climbing, and many a review can be found, yet I think another is in order. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">The Moc is an ultra-simple, sensitive slipper-style climbing shoe by Five Ten, which features their famously sticky Stealth C4 rubber and is about as versatile as a climbing shoe can be, and it serves as the only arrow in many young braves’ shoe quivers. The Moc is a favorite at Stoney Point, where the blazing red can be seen adorning the feet of old guys eliminating holds and young guys looking for new ones.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">I wore my Mocs on everything until both toes were worn through to the leather, and even in an impressively dilapidated state, the shoe performed. The Moc is at its best in thin cracks and on overhanging boulders, where the sensitivity and the low-profile toe allow for extremely precise footwork. </div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">On sizing: In my opinion the Moc performs at its best when sized down A LOT. I wore mine two full sizes down from street, the first week or so was torture, but after breaking in the Mocs become the bane of any rock wishing to chuck you off. With the right fit even micro edges, normally the forte of a stiffer shoe, are no problem for this shoe. So my advice is to size ‘em tight! For bouldering and single pitch sport, I’d say get the smallest size you can get your foot into, for longer climbs maybe go a half to full size up from there.</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cAEMZXn26gSHfuUVrmNyHv74BWgaQSbaOh0MWkqrdN582xhvf33EXo8Rh2_CNk7k-OziCirHEo8RjXJTctWKSVFTYZoU1L49AYGbnQuMop_y0LB1KKx8K1FEMnL1c6XbzS2L3XKrp9SQ/s1600/066.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6cAEMZXn26gSHfuUVrmNyHv74BWgaQSbaOh0MWkqrdN582xhvf33EXo8Rh2_CNk7k-OziCirHEo8RjXJTctWKSVFTYZoU1L49AYGbnQuMop_y0LB1KKx8K1FEMnL1c6XbzS2L3XKrp9SQ/s200/066.JPG" width="200" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><b>Moc’s, <i>buy ‘em!</i></b></div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Pros: Versatile, comfy, easy on/off, durable, and they look fuckin’ rad</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">Cons: They will pop off on hard heel hooks and can get sloppy if sized improperly <span> </span><span> </span><span> </span></div>Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-22738255479862314512011-03-17T18:41:00.000-07:002011-03-17T18:41:33.932-07:00Three Days OnWith the awesome weather we've had here and a less than demanding work schedule this week has been a busy one for me on the climbing front, gettin' to live that Verticali dream. The arm is recovering nicely and I have been trying to get back into shape after the downtime. Anyways, got some more radness from Chris, his shots are more impressive every time I see them. (see more of his handiwork here: www.flickr.com/ventures23):<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVGI8tds4Ne9p_sh3917podbbbRcHMNZQY6Ol7UJUINy6NmvpdHbnMq1g0GnCf_Wwq2aUmFTxLDUJzOc8BYvRBPlsmXRiJJ7yrY9pJEyKbU_xQ_SZ8UzIIxeKixetQZn08_S7Bva9SHjG/s1600/Summit+Boulders+From+3%253A11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEVGI8tds4Ne9p_sh3917podbbbRcHMNZQY6Ol7UJUINy6NmvpdHbnMq1g0GnCf_Wwq2aUmFTxLDUJzOc8BYvRBPlsmXRiJJ7yrY9pJEyKbU_xQ_SZ8UzIIxeKixetQZn08_S7Bva9SHjG/s320/Summit+Boulders+From+3%253A11.jpg" width="227" /></a></div><br />
This is a fun v2/3 up top at Stoney, check it out if you're in the summit area.That's all for now, and as always, keep the mind state Golden, peace!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGw4Eg457cmChaTK4ueKXo-aWnNn1CxD5V4N96AH4bD2QOtZJ_f0B5UNu8gsr-VydhsnM6imBCYYWkXSmCial9-J2TNWQHUFx88xfXA2_Fj4uys1aPrYAdE5EMWotSbtbaXKdVgXCk8NVU/s1600/Xan+Dyno+3%253A9%253A2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGw4Eg457cmChaTK4ueKXo-aWnNn1CxD5V4N96AH4bD2QOtZJ_f0B5UNu8gsr-VydhsnM6imBCYYWkXSmCial9-J2TNWQHUFx88xfXA2_Fj4uys1aPrYAdE5EMWotSbtbaXKdVgXCk8NVU/s320/Xan+Dyno+3%253A9%253A2011.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-22650566568916319192011-03-16T12:59:00.000-07:002011-03-16T12:59:51.261-07:00Grope, Grasp, Slip!With the recent spate of hot weather here in LA things have gotten pretty grim at Stoney. Problems out here are often condition-dependent, and the session today involved lots of racing the slip-clock while desperately trying to stay on long enough to move to the next hold. The upside of this is that after a summer of working out on rock that sweats as much as you do, when the cold and wind come your project will feel like a gym 5.5, straight juggin' yo! I'll leave you with another picture to look at:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrGAI2d54xW9rTc6rM7z0v78b4MLssSBZyftkMZsuo1gAo7ediL6EopwGVfZucQL-iKQdwdFs9j0Wjn-B4J4TQcOPWTM4GTah82HL6hFIRITnxpxdiMgdbyp-YU6lSQgsHy6-AyAq881W/s1600/DSC_0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJrGAI2d54xW9rTc6rM7z0v78b4MLssSBZyftkMZsuo1gAo7ediL6EopwGVfZucQL-iKQdwdFs9j0Wjn-B4J4TQcOPWTM4GTah82HL6hFIRITnxpxdiMgdbyp-YU6lSQgsHy6-AyAq881W/s320/DSC_0331.JPG" width="214" /></a></div><br />
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This is Brandon working it out on Blockhead (v8), a real eye-catcher and a beast of an arete problem. Brandon is rolling out to Thailand tomorrow to live the dream; let's all let out a collective "lucky fucker" and send him off on a good note!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-2381736266135109192011-03-09T13:19:00.000-08:002011-03-09T13:19:05.204-08:00Get Stoney<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNLKkObnPC2PIRjjghHa0LcOb2fDNqksWBT6eJ6kz7W8t0Fn8-2CjmZ-kQLTnMzE8DKXSSl62doIOugpo3sYEfVzT3vQOQWzBl2ZVt3M3z6XHrKBjC7i_qnfZQH7hNfK7xwmC9qDx8IwF/s1600/DSC_0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCNLKkObnPC2PIRjjghHa0LcOb2fDNqksWBT6eJ6kz7W8t0Fn8-2CjmZ-kQLTnMzE8DKXSSl62doIOugpo3sYEfVzT3vQOQWzBl2ZVt3M3z6XHrKBjC7i_qnfZQH7hNfK7xwmC9qDx8IwF/s320/DSC_0352.JPG" width="214" /></a></div>We are having absurdly nice weather again in LA and a Stoney sesh was in order.<br />
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Here is Nick starting Rodeo Style (v3)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaZ6TUMSzN3V0dXR-LF9dEZ04D39D-_tV2gOAAR0FyElTHAmfgx5qG-YLVBqwqg5FwWTzyR84DP9fkk33Q6zKFKjHUAk2VLIZbqI9HYDFJwzo2CW31y_zYhB7Fu0Wm6vxZ51_9lZeV7Ip/s1600/DSC_0362.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfaZ6TUMSzN3V0dXR-LF9dEZ04D39D-_tV2gOAAR0FyElTHAmfgx5qG-YLVBqwqg5FwWTzyR84DP9fkk33Q6zKFKjHUAk2VLIZbqI9HYDFJwzo2CW31y_zYhB7Fu0Wm6vxZ51_9lZeV7Ip/s200/DSC_0362.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>Now for the business. This is a sequence of Chris on Frequent Flyer (v6?) up in the summit area. These problems are near Umma Gumma (v6/7), a Bachar first ascent and another Stoney classic. The summit area is probably the least developed at Stoney, with a decent amount of new lines. If you feel like exploring or just doing something other than the Boulder 1 to Turlock shuffle check it out up top, you'll probably be alone and the views on a clear day are delightful.<br />
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This slopey crimp is pretty terrible looking. Chris is strong.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UHByt-mUY0xeSlrFmmw7Cukjhk4715f-eyuELkJCXRsR-Lj0M-41Sk24CSaPyE9iaO2Ehyphenhyphend00CGF_vYvJuolAsIsshzmMFxMhcnNGLUANyZOpRSYlAczoeBQVPai-Q0oPiwnwOQpUSpP/s1600/DSC_0366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UHByt-mUY0xeSlrFmmw7Cukjhk4715f-eyuELkJCXRsR-Lj0M-41Sk24CSaPyE9iaO2Ehyphenhyphend00CGF_vYvJuolAsIsshzmMFxMhcnNGLUANyZOpRSYlAczoeBQVPai-Q0oPiwnwOQpUSpP/s200/DSC_0366.JPG" width="133" /></a></div>Putting it all out there while throwing for the sweet sigh o' relief hold<br />
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Heading up to the Bay Area this weekend for a bit of a different look. Hopefully we'll make it out to Castle Rock and sample some of that Northern sandstone. Thanks for stopping by and remember, keep the mind state Golden. Peace!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-48492642761312556182011-03-05T17:18:00.000-08:002011-03-05T17:18:35.565-08:00And We're Back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjTCRICWvg4Ukn4ufrbUoBTwrURq8X1qT7tyPY2UCb9qOam08F0cl2fXT6LX9m8jQmnnu54Z-f-apqM_WnhT_5iTvTiSAAId7_X6oQAEiVxixhm6OcndmdZdhJ_k-0QSW1yGXcs1vSFtk/s1600/5498443775_272c27d385_b-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQjTCRICWvg4Ukn4ufrbUoBTwrURq8X1qT7tyPY2UCb9qOam08F0cl2fXT6LX9m8jQmnnu54Z-f-apqM_WnhT_5iTvTiSAAId7_X6oQAEiVxixhm6OcndmdZdhJ_k-0QSW1yGXcs1vSFtk/s320/5498443775_272c27d385_b-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I had my first day back on the rock yesterday, March 4th. It was pretty awesome, the photo is some crimptastic action on Master of Reality (V6). It felt awesome to be climbing again, and I felt surprisingly strong but my left arm definitely has a ways to go. <br />
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Chris took this photo and I think it is pretty badass myself. Chris is getting to be a pretty damn solid photographer, checkout his shots on Flickr at http://www.flickr.com/photos/ventures23/<br />
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The weather has been spectacular here in LA county the past few days, and as a climber this is amazing. I can't help but gloat as I read forum posts about hangboarding from forlorn east coast climbers. Just another reason why we love it. Keep the mind-state Golden, Peace!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-49492307088812193682011-02-25T15:28:00.000-08:002011-02-25T15:29:15.524-08:00A Day With the Jack and the Rainy QueenIts raining in LA today, but Chris and I are working on a semi-secret project (more on this in the hopefully near future) and we figured today would be a good day to get some photos:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">burn baby burn. a car fire on Topanga across from Stoney 9AM</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chris feels things out while Jack keeps watch</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Working out the moves on one of many Crankie Queenie variations</td></tr>
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This is Chris working out another start to the graffiti-ridden Queenie, a cluster of problems that with slightly different conditions would be far more classic. An unfortunate thing about urban bouldering is areas being robbed of many classics.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-5lyX7GN1KzRbbHWHBgRGoihYARkBonjGwPz9lnvPvJAVAm4ovKKX1hncbDV82MJUrsLLjy2NyVTM7qEeW1DyS63uquWYTN6eBS3ZAMEMo5njo7b8EPY9jveqHRSW-Kb4G6lHJqcyi49/s1600/309.JPG"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK-5lyX7GN1KzRbbHWHBgRGoihYARkBonjGwPz9lnvPvJAVAm4ovKKX1hncbDV82MJUrsLLjy2NyVTM7qEeW1DyS63uquWYTN6eBS3ZAMEMo5njo7b8EPY9jveqHRSW-Kb4G6lHJqcyi49/s320/309.JPG" width="320" /> </a> </div><br />
It was my first day back at Stoney since I fell and it felt nice being out there, rain and all. Thinking over possible sequences on Crankie Queenie with Chris reminded me of what I love about climbing.<br />
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On Stoney and rain:<br />
Like any sandstone/conglomerate type stone, the rock at Stoney is highly vulnerable to rain and as such should be avoided for at least 3-4 days after a good soaking. This is the disclaimer but as a mad climbing addict I know that asking this is nigh impossible. While I wholeheartedly sympathize with those that simply cannot wait to get back on the rock it is frustrating watching classic problems rapidly erode. The wet season thus far has been particularly brutal on Stoney, with classic problems like Crowd Pleaser v2 losing key holds, and it is irritating because it can be easily avoided. Stoney offers many options for rainy-day climbing so you can avoid the gym <i>and</i> the destruction of classic problems. Tuna is the obvious choice, but the backside of jamrock stays dry too and for those willing to explore many other options exist. So help Stoney stay strong and keep off the plastic this winter!Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-28392005992676423642011-02-24T10:43:00.000-08:002011-02-24T10:43:04.219-08:00Real Mountains and Bigger Adventures<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVwkRGANjiBaRbQbGgfI1nOMQEqUEa9SwYkTFLb5ox8Vu1FAcp0Ned-8adbLClTbVcyvYAzNVL51VWpBqoPbBeY4m2mz0bE-xoCAOPbugIO0aERhdSdH9p8YGuBCMZIJnC7alrtk9XHeN/s1600/Whitney+Holga+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="315" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEVwkRGANjiBaRbQbGgfI1nOMQEqUEa9SwYkTFLb5ox8Vu1FAcp0Ned-8adbLClTbVcyvYAzNVL51VWpBqoPbBeY4m2mz0bE-xoCAOPbugIO0aERhdSdH9p8YGuBCMZIJnC7alrtk9XHeN/s320/Whitney+Holga+6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEgtZxPjYyf9ktfdXXxw3HS5gjYzlOp5ZMmKoqkFcnCPCTZaTXiatWGvjYgw4QwBwmZNCKA4IioxtkcWuJFO2RsoVz2SEEQHyCjrnLS3FfMbkvXzUV9WfJIC9ZNFvOMiZHbss7Kx_0ucA/s1600/Whitney+Holga+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEgtZxPjYyf9ktfdXXxw3HS5gjYzlOp5ZMmKoqkFcnCPCTZaTXiatWGvjYgw4QwBwmZNCKA4IioxtkcWuJFO2RsoVz2SEEQHyCjrnLS3FfMbkvXzUV9WfJIC9ZNFvOMiZHbss7Kx_0ucA/s320/Whitney+Holga+2.jpg" width="317" /></a></div>ah nostalgia, sigh. heading up the chute and filling up on the Whitney mountaineers route June 2010. the conditions were unreal for this time of year, a fun introduction to crampons. . . i love these pictures Ben took with his Holga. the 'Holg' really adds a timeless quality to just about any shot, making the adventure appear super rugged and epic; kind of like how it sounds when we tell people about it after a few beers. . .<br />
Looking at these also really makes me miss the Sierra. I love what LA has to offer in the way of easy-access adventure but even hyper-productive days of sport climbing and bouldering really don't compare with doing anything in the real mountains.<br />
I seem to be at my most productive in the mountains and vertiCALI was born out of time spent there. Beginning with a JMT thru-hike in 2009 my gaze has gotten longer and I often catch myself staring out northeast, imagining the peaks lying beyond the SoCal haze. Sentimental, I know, but the call of the mountains is why we engage in silly vertical games like sport and bouldering, which despite being super-contrived, hold the promise of leading to the next, bigger adventure. Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-73242614093609413082011-02-23T09:07:00.000-08:002011-02-23T09:07:54.801-08:00Fractured Arms and Following FootstepsAside from the fact that the idea for this blog has been brewing in my mind for a nearly a year now the real impetus behind getting this fucker fired up is all the horrible down time i now have as a result of fracturing my arm Feb. 11 while cranking on Powerglide, a stiff v6 at the the glorious Stoney Point. My left hand exploded off the crux hold, a terrible little crimp, and the next thing I knew I was gasping for air with my ass buried in the pad.<br />
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Powerglide is just one of many glorious problems at Stoney, a highly underrated bouldering spot with challenges from vb-10. Look beyond the gang graffiti, broken glass, and killer bees and you'll find a wealth of great problems in every style on generally awesome rock. Another of Stoney's appealing characteristics is its rich climbing history. Folks have been bouldering Stoney for about as long as there has been bouldering in this country, and some of those folks include luminaries like Kamps, Chouinard, Long, and Bachar to name a few. Any given Stoney circuit includes pulling on the same holds that these giants of our tiny world once fondled, and damn if it don't make ya feel special! So all of you LA gym rats give the plastic a break and try Stoney for a change, you might just find yourself becoming a rock climber. . .Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3294281257115226851.post-47999409975316528202011-02-22T08:28:00.000-08:002011-02-22T08:28:50.370-08:00First Post!Hello all my non-readers, and welcome to the vertiCALI blog, premiere purveyors of dirtbag climbing culture in that finest of the fifty, California! Based in LA but highly mobile, the vertiCALI squad seeks to entertain the loneliest of you checking in from the climbing corners of this great state; from J-Tree to the Valley, Bishop to the High Sierra, the movement is growing. . .Xanimalhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17014363274272938224noreply@blogger.com0