June 30, 2012

Some Ohio Fun!

 Rowan and dad checking out the airport.
 Patiently waiting for the next flight. Rowan is taking a break from crawling everywhere and into everyones stuff!
 After wanting to see the whole plane he finally fell asleep  on Jane and me.
 Then grandpa woke him and immediately took him into the pool for his first swim!
 Grandma and Jane and Rowan on a walk in the evening light.
 Grandma Pizem enjoying her grandson.
 Two boys in the pool.
Rowans first corn on the cob.

piz : )

Back Home for a Little While

 A trip to see the family on the front range was good fun for us and Rowan.
 Hanging with his aunt!
 The Peacock girls and the boy.
 Grandpa Peacock and the boy.
 Rowan looking for the toilet after getting up too early!
Family photo on the way back to Junction. Rowans first time in the Arkansas River.
Get outside and have an adventure.

piz : )

June 13, 2012

Unaweep Climbing with Ari

 Splittersville in Unaweep! New route that I have cleaned and need to send.
 Always great views from the crag in Unaweep Canyon.
 Who's that hiding in the bush?
 Oh, that must be the crackmaster, Ari Menitove crushing in GJ.
 I just started wearing the SCARPA Boostix and they are soft and supple and fit wonderfully. The two opposign velcrow straps are great for keeping the shoes snug and for quick on/off. I used them for all these crack and face climbs this weekend and was way happy with how they handled. I am sold and love these shoes.
 Ari enjoying the slow climbing of Unaweep. These routes are tricky and never go where you think they will.
 What do I want from here?
I will be putting up a new route on the right arete sometime this year. Should be an adventure but will be an awesome and beautiful line that is exposed and interesting.
Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

June 7, 2012

Attention Rifle Mountain Park Climbers

This is from the Access Fund with respect to attempting to get the lower canyon of Rifle opened to climbing. It was open once and with your help can be open again.

We need your help to expand climbing at Rifle Falls!
Climbing is allowed in Rifle Mountain Park, but is currently banned in the lower canyon. The newly merged Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) Commission, which is strongly oriented toward hunting and fishing, owns this portion of the canyon and has the authority to allow climbing at Rifle Falls. But on May 10, 2012, they summarily denied a petition by the Rifle Climbers Coalition and Access Fund to allow climbing.
But there is an opportunity to turn this situation aroundnewly passed Colorado legislation orders a new 11 voting member CPW Commission.

Please call Governor Hickenlooper’s office (303-866-2885) and/or use our easy-to-use letter writing tool to encourage the Governor to appoint new Commissioners who can govern Park and Wildlife resources with an eye to wildlife management and recreation.
Sincerely,
Your Friends at the Access Fund and Rifle Climbers Coalition

This is a great way to help out the canyon and get more climbs of all grades established in park.
Make a call today!

piz : )

Narrows Hike Video Short

piz : )

June 4, 2012

Zion Narrows still more

 splitter.
 the base of the route.
 Can't have an adventure without a flat.
 Andy blew it out!
Our friend Scott new routing right over the water!
piz : )

Zion Narrows

 Andy trying out the sandstone while pioneering some moves!
 Narrows beauty.
 At hte bus stop
 Me using that broom on another new route.
 Climbing some off width.
 The zone.
 Heading out the roof 150 ft over the river.
 Andy at the belay over the crystal clear water.
Heading out another 5.10 roof on the new route!
piz : )

The Zion Narrows

I began my summer break by heading off into the unknown. It seems to be a theme with me that I jaunt off into some rock strewn place hoping for good new rock climbing potential. It has taken me all over the world and there are few places that I love more than Zion National Park. Zion boasts some of the largest sandstone walls in the world and some of the best canyoneering. I was hoping to hike around in the most famous canyon, the Zion Narrows and find some new cracks to climb.
I enlisted a good friend Andy to join me and off we went.
 Its not Zion without the summer bus ride.
 Ah the Narrows.
 Andy packing in the gear and a broom to clean the sand and spiderwebs from the cracks.
 We were lucky to see Ari and Sandy along the hike!
 One and done, a great 5.10-
 Another classic pitch with a hidden mail box slot in the crux. 5.11
Our zone of new routes.

We dawned our waders, hiking poles and climbing gear and headed upstream from the tourist fillled bus and began to gaze at all the potential in the narrow water filled canyon. Many lined looked great but something was always missing. We eventually chose a zone that had a half dozen single pitch routes that looked great and we even found a multipitch route that was almost more than what we bargained for. Enjoy the photos of our wet adventure.

piz : )