Photographers: What I learn from them.

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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

So over the last few weeks, I have chipped some time out of my already busy schedule to work with a few photographers. For me I am always trying to learn from them and to find out what they are looking for in a photo, so that I can speed up the process of the shoot. If I know what they are looking for then I can help create that image and story that they are looking to tell.

I have learned over the years that every photographer is attempting to either catch that unique or special moment (be it a first ascent or an emotion) or attempting to tell a story in the image. The best photos are ones that make you think, reflect upon your own life, inspire you to go above and beyond or create emotion.

I love to be in a great photo and have been lucky to have worked with some of the best over the past 10 years.

Below are some from a guy that I just worked with for the first time. His name is Robb Reece. An former Olympic level athlete, now photographer and dad. Other than scaring the heck out of him on a 600ft tall wall, he has been able to capture some great moments in just a short amount of time. I look forward to more shoots with him.

The next photographer is Ken Redding. He has been shooting for over thirty years and it shows. He knows exactly the shot that he is looking for and has the ability to then make that shot happen. I was really impressed with his ideas and images right off the bat.

 

 

In the next few posts, I will share what I have learned from other photographers that I have worked with.

 

 









Hikes Around Grand Junction

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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

A hike in Colorado National Monument with my students.

 The first pool.

 Hiking to the first waterfall.

 Sitting on top of the first waterfall and scoping the world.

The first waterfall.

Pizem Slide Show Tonight! May 14 at 7pm Summit Canyon Mountaineering in Grand Junction, CO)

Get outside and have an adventure!
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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Come for some stories and the dirt on what new routing is all about! I will be featuring desert first free ascents and desert first ascents that I have been apart of of the last few years.

Get some goodies too.

Top of Ottos route on a cold winter day!

Maximum Climbing Book Review

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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Book Review: Maximum Climbing by Eric Horst

When I first read the title Maximum Climbing, it made me want to read it cover to cover as soon as I had it in my hands. Eric Horst, who I consider a climbing guru has been climbing for over thirty years and who has trained many a successful climber, has written yet another reference book for climbing that can take you to the next level.

Initially, I thought that it would be a training book that would focus more on the physical aspects of climbing, but as I dove deeper into the pages, I realized that this text was all about successfully maximizing your brain use throughout the whole process of climbing, training and even life!

Horst breaks the book down into three main parts (I have paraphrased):

1.       Your brain,

2.       How to develop your brain,

3.       Programs of brain training techniques to adopt and adapt for your own life.

Each portion offers tips/strategies for the reader to include in not only their daily lives, but especially into their climbing lives. For me, I was struck with an inner happiness that I was doing what Horst has suggested in order to live a happier life and reach my personal potential as a climber.

There are plenty of technical terms in part 1 which strengthen and detract. I know many climbers who just want the information in layman’s terms rather than the technical jargon. They trust that the author has done their homework. I am one of those guys who appreciates the technical jargon and who will use it later in life as inquiring minds want to know the why behind what we should be doing.

Part 2 is the meat of the text and should be highlighted and reread often. The topics range from self-awareness, to goal setting, to improving your concentration and focus. For many people the managing fear and behavior modification will be sections that you reread and practice over and over.

Part 3 is the chapter that brings it all together. After reading it and reflecting upon the way that I approach my climbing and life, I realized that I can find many parallels in what Horst is saying in my own life. By using goal setting, visualization before and after climbing, and having a positive mental outlook not only about sending a route, but in life you can refocus, eliminate waste and negative feelings and focus all of your mental energy on your chosen route or path.

The message of the book is simple is simple; the challenge is to live and breathe it. Horst mentions those climbers who have accomplished great things including his conversations with Todd Skinner and makes the realization that Todd’s greatness came from the way he approached life, not that he was an extraordinary athlete by birth.

In conclusion, there are three factors that make a great climber. In no particular order, I believe that there is the physical, mental and technical aspect. By not addressing all three, a climber will never reach their personal limit. This book offers the power of understanding how to harness your mental game and take it to a new level.

Last Days of Rowan as an Only Child!

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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

 We met up with friends putting in the river to float a stretch of the Colorado called Westwater. Rowan enjoyed throwing rocks and chasing dogs.

 Yes he got dirty and muddy as was planned!

 The we went to check out a preschool program called the River Canyon School. That is where we saw our first Maypole and live chicken. We made candles and asteroid toys and paper airplanes.

I even played along and helped string up the Maypole. We finished the day with a picnic in the park and a BBQ.

New Route! Maroon 5

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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Here is the the first part of my new route.
The first pitch (yes, there are two with a short traverse in between them). It was a little bit dirty and really soft at the bottom, but it cleaned up after the initial attempt. You could say that the belayer needed a helmet on and had to be ready to run from exploding and falling rock! It takes gear to 3 inches and has hand jams with a few finger locks. Nothing spectacular, but it gets you to the money pitch. you rap off a tree and it goes at 5.9.

 Pitch 2 is the money. It starts with tips and sporty climbing that will have you falling below your belayer at about 8ft off the deck. Fortunately there is open space to fall into. The first moves are a bit committing and the gear feels sketchy (one .3 cam) but can be done without worry's. Then it changes into .4, .5, .75, 1 inch finger locking and lie backing. When you get to the roof, it quickly goes from 2 inch gear to baggy 3's. After that it is a easy tromp up the head wall and into the off width.



I really wanted this roof section to be .75's cause they are really hard for me but, it was nice to have cruiser big hands to deal with rather than a 13+ crux of impossible .75 inch jamming.

Thanks to Ben and Mayan for the help and willingness to entertain my new routing fever!

 Heading back at 6am for some sending and photos with Jeremiah and Mayan!

Here Mayan is getting ready to check out the big hands roof.

Washer Woman Tower

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Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Tyson getting his gear ready for the climb. Last year during the Red Rock Rendezvous, I was auctioned off as a fundraiser for the American Alpine Club.
He wanted to do his first tower in the desert and I wanted to provide that experience. It took over a year to connect but, this weekend we came, we saw and we stood on the summit of Washer Woman via the In Search of Suds route. Great job Tyson!!

 Hiking up in the rain. Washer Woman (has the hole through it) is on the right and Monster Tower is on the left. They range in height from 600ish ft to 700ish ft tall

 Looking at fossils on the way up the trail.

 It was storming that day but I had a good feeling that it would blow on through and we would enjoy perfect temps and dry rock.

 My new Arcteryx back pack. Muira 45 is the bomb and opens up completely to easily get everything out! Huge zippers and a narrow profile make this great to carry and with its new even tougher material, it holds up to me dragging up up walls to drill or to just go cragging!

 Got to carry a B-DRY with me on days where it might rain. Totally water proof and tiny. What else do you need in a rain jacket?

 Tyson: getting ready to slay the beast.

 Dave belaying and Tyson heading over to the beginning of the route. It starts with two pitch of dihedral climbing. It can be awkward at times but there are tons of cracks and face holds to piece together to make it climbable!

 Crux of pitch one a hand crack in the dihedral that gets a little funky. The foot is just too high to stand on and you feel really insecure. Tyson made quick work of it after his nerves settled down.

 Over the crux.

 At the anchor and on his way!

 A stemming machine!

 No hands rest, now that is good beta!

 Finishing pitch 2.

 At the end of pitch three you get exposed really quickly.

 Monster tower in the background along with Indian Creek and the Colorado River way down below. The white rim is the white rock on the bottom right of the photo.

 Tyson could not wait to lead the last pitch up the head of the washer woman. He was composed and settled and aced it on sight!!! Mike B watching overhead and supporting from above.

 Victory V at the top of his first tower!

 Monster tower is a few feet taller and can be done with washer woman the same day.

 Dave and Tyson enjoying the summit.

The VERY memorable rappel back to the ground. You are immediately exposed and hanging in mid air!