Exponential Challenge: Day 2

Get outside and have an adventure!
piz : )

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

Day 2
Again it was cold and we were climbing at an elevation of around 8000 feet. The winds were absolutely brain numbing at the Sunday Wall. Our two chosen routes were south facing, but there was little to no sun and the outside temperatures were around the upper 20's.

 The Sunday Wall

 Ben starting on pitch 2

 Ben joining me on pitch 3

 I needed the wind breaker because it was wickedly cold.

 Ben attempting the last crux pitch, after falling on a heady section down low he aced the upper crux first try!

 The last rappel off this wonderful sling and block. Thanks to whomever left this baby for us to rap off of.

We took a beating that day. The weather never really improved. Some cams came flying off of Ben's harness as a gear loop broke. I caught a few in mid air and the rest went whizzing past me to the ground a few hundred feet below.
I led the whole next route just for the sake of time and we were able to warm up in the while driving home. After the first two days we were cut up, bloody, frozen and beginning to question the task before us.

Oh well, that is what adventure is all about!

Welome My Son!

After a smooth delivery, welcome to the world Rowan Robert Pizem!

Rowan sleeping on dad while he updates the internet for friends and family.

Rowan made his first clip while at the hospital!

Jane and my lovely son.

Jane and her new born son, Rowan.
I will be inside with the boy for a few. But as soon as he is ready, we will be outside having some fun, climbing and scoping new climbs.

Get outside!

Thanks to everyone, family and friends for all the support. It is good to be loved and it is good to love! We are very happy to have brought this guy into the world.

piz : )

24 Hours of Gunnison Glory

This Memorial day weekend I was convinced to compete in the 24 hour climbing competition at Hartman Rocks in Gunnison, Colorado. My friend Jesse and I were going to try our best to climb as many routes and boulders as we could in 24 long hours.
Neither of us had ever climbed at the granite area and we thought that it would be fun to get out and thrash ourselves and get a taste of the local climbs.
The competition included bouldering and route climbing. We could put in gear, clip bolts or throw down crash pads to rack up points.
Since we had never done anything like this before, we climbed routes until we got tired and then bouldered and then went back to routes and then bouldered some more.
The day began at 10 in the morning and ended 24 hours later. There was a strong wind that blew all day long. At times it was so strong that it blew me off a delicate move or two! I had to re lead those climbs in order to get any points for those routes that I fell on.
At times the routes were pretty straight forward, while other climbs were very complicated and sequential.
Jesse wanted to make it to 24 climbs during the competition because he was still recovering from a separated shoulder. He sucked it up and was able to do it. It was totally inspiring.
It was a weird comp because everyone was so split up at Hartman Rocks.
The area is so big that we had to drive to and from the boulders and the routes.
We were lucky to have some support from my wife Jane and her brother Matt. They hung out and climbed a little with us and just tried not to blow away in the strong winds.
One of the toughest parts of the comp was keeping the skin on my fingers. The granite that we climbed on was sharp and could destroy your skin in just a matter of a few climbs. I learned to climb delicately as the hours passed. Even though, I still was bleeding by the last routes of the comp.
During the night, the comp provided us with great music to listen to and even fed us burgers and burritos. The wind died down just a little so we took shelter on the walls opposite the wind. We choose to climb easier routes with our headlamps during the darkest hours.
It was near the end of the comp that I had a bad session of stomach pains and spent some time in a porto-let. I was damaged goods after that and my pace slowed down significantly.
Even still Jesse and I were able to climb a lot of routes and boulders.
Thanks so much for hosting the 24 Hours of Gunnison Glory. To all the volunteers and sponsors. It was a great comp and a great time.
Thanks to my sponsors too! CAMP draws kicked butt! My Arcteryx harness and clothes kept me warm all day and night, My SCARPA Instincts were the perfect slipper for the granite and of course my STERLING rope kept on cooking throughout the comp! My new found favorite piece is my WIND -XTREME neck gator. It was perfect for blocking the wind and sun from my neck and kept the my body heat in during the wee hours of the night.
Get out and climb!!!!
piz : )