We are looking forward to seeing the soon to be released CORE. Chuck talked about how busy he was a couple of months ago and now we know why. The quality of Chuck’s work is amazing as seem in the prAna athlete profile videos he put together for Fred Nicole and Paul Robinson. Check out the HD trailer for CORE…
From the director of PURE…
CORE goes to the heart of climbing. Join an international cast of the sport’s most dedicated athletes as they stick it when it matters most. Shot in 35mm Ultra High Definition, get ready to see every detail of some of the nastiest pieces of rock ever climbed.
A close examination of each character offers perspective beyond just their achievements on the stone. From Helsinki to Hueco, Africa to Italy, the enclosed forests of Tuscany to the vast open space of the American West, this film is a study in the landscapes and lifestyles that define our sport.
Be there, in the moment, as a 5.14 traditional route gets its first ascent. See the mind-bending footage from Livin Large, Nalle Hukkataival’s monster 8C. Watch as Fred Nicole polishes off his multi-year project in Switzerland – his hardest ever. All these achievements and more are brought to you here in Chuck Fryberger’s followup to the hit bouldering flick PURE. These are the moments and the athletes that define our sport, documented here with a unique style that invites the viewer to be part of the experience.
Featured Athletes: Nalle Hukkataival, Matt Wilder, Fred Nicole, Kilian Fischhuber, Kevin Jorgeson, BJ Tilden, Lucas Preti, Cody Roth, Michele Caminati, Jamie Emerson, Sarah and Steph Marvez, Berni Fiedler, And Many More.
In 1994 Lynn Hill free climbed The Nose on El Capitan in a day, a stunning feat that is clearly one of the greatest achievements in rock climbing history. Not only did she climb the first ascent of one of the hardest routes in America at the time, (it went unrepeated for 10 years and that was only after a 261 day seige!), it was arguably the best route, on the most prominent rock climbing feature in the world. On top of that, she did this in a completely male dominated sport and built the road for the future of free climbing big walls, one day ascents of such walls, and women climbing hard around the world. Few ascents could claim to have such an impact.
But where has that left women’s climbing today?
In America, 2008 was a pretty good year for women’s bouldering, in terms of difficulty.
This year Puccio added The Gentleman’s Project V11, The Maze of Death V12, and several other V11s to her ticklist.
During the same two years the top men flashed several V13s (including a V14) and established problems up to V15, one of which is 25ft tall. It would be hard to argue that the gap hasn’t grown. Have women fallen behind, or is this gap appropriate? Should there be any gap?
While Ms. Hill’s ascent was not a bouldering ascent, it was a significant advancement in climbing, and in some way addresses two key issues. First, the idea that women can climb at the same level or higher in terms of pure difficulty, and secondly that women can do important and classic first ascents.
Perhaps twenty years ago the top women of today would have been climbing stronger than the strongest men. If one were to look at the total number of hours men have spent climbing, it would far out number the total number of hours that women have spent climbing (simply due to the fact that there are far more men than women in our sport) and is this the gap that is reflected? Often times when such a debate arises, the fact the men and women have different bodies is used as the reason for the difference. There seem to be climbs that favor a smaller climber, like Chablanke in Hueco Tanks and Clear Blue Skies at Mt. Evans, but those are the exception. More often than not climbs established by taller climbers will favor taller climbers, and most of the climbs established are put up by taller climbers. Perhaps The Nose just happen to fit into the exception, an excuse many men used when they failed to repeat Hill’s route. Do men have a psychological advantage simply because as a group they have more practice and have had the opportunity to push the bar farther? Should we even be comparing the differences between men and women? Perhaps it is the lack of an objective standard that blurs this line, unlike swimming, or (more…)
A recent email attached a photo taken by Yarobys García, the Cuban who today is the island’s leading climber. The photo from Yarobys showed a very faded mustard-colored prAna headband being worn by a young Cuban named Yandy working a new project. (Nirvana, 8a/8a+)>>>
I recognized that headband. Not just one like it. I knew that particular mustard-colored prAna headband. I had photos of it being worn by my girlfriend Laura Rodríguez on El Morro in Havana a decade ago, in <<<1999.
I looked through some more of my old photos. I had many images of Aníbal Fernández, the first Cuban climber, wearing that same mustard headband on climbs during the early part of this millennium, perhaps seven or eight years ago.>>>
I looked at more recent images I had received. Last winter Peter Winter, a Canadian climber, had sent me a photo of Yarobys shooting pics for his website. I looked at the image carefully, and yes, Yarobys was wearing the mustard prAna headband (below). Yarobys is an exceptional climber, and committed to the challenge to do new routes and to the tradition of mentorship.
Yarobys established a website on climbing in Cuba, escaladaencuba.com, which is probably the best source of information on new routes and especially new areas being explored by the Cuban climbers. It is difficult for those from other societies to appreciate how remarkable it is for an individual Cuban, outside of a state-run authority, to create a website. I don’t know of another.
I checked with Laura and she confirmed it was the same headband in all four photos. The same prAna mustard-colored headband worn by her, Aníbal, Yarobys and Yandy from 1999 until now.
I realized that it was possible to trace the remarkable development of climbing in Cuba through the lives of prAna headbands. The Cubans climb despite a crushingly poor, authoritarian government that threatens them with prison for climbing, while welcoming foreign climbers. With their stiff-necked commitment to climb, especially to put first ascents on the stone of their own country, the Cuban climbers have created something that I believe is unique in climbing.
Cuba may be the only climbing destination in the third world where (more…)
Finals for the 11th edition of ABS Nationalswent down Saturday night in Alexandria, VA and it sounded like quite the show. Daniel Woods topped a strong men’s field and Alex Puccio edged out Alex Johnson (again) with some surprises following them on the podium, especially on the Men’s side of the ledger. (The top three men and women made the U.S. bouldering team for 2010) Complete records are hard to come by but I believe this was Woods’ 3rd win in the past 4 years while Puccio has won 4 out of the past 5 years losing a close battle with Alex Johnson last year. Of course, if you weren’t in the gym you really had no way of seeing the action unfold which is unfortunate in my opinion. Jamie Emersontried his best to keep us posted via his twitter feedbut he reached Twitter’s limit right as the heavy hitters were starting to climb. Garrett Gregor was also at the comp posting videos to twittervia his cell phone which was certainly better than nothing. Hopefully this will be the last year without some sort of live stream. For pictures of Finals you can check out Ben Carlson’s site. Report from routesetter Chris Danielson& Excellent pictures from Caroline Treadway. Cross Posted & Edited fromclimbingnarc
The future of climbing lay on the finger tips of today’s youth. The next Chris Sharma and Alex Johnson’s are out there among us and already cranking double digit boulder problems. I spent a day out shooting photos with members of TEAM ABC this month in the bouldering mecca of Hueco Tanks State Park in El Paso, Texas. Among this talented and spirited group of little crushers were Shawn (11) and Brooke (8) Raboutou, children of, and coached by two former World Cup Champions: Robyn Erbesfield-Raboutou and Didier Raboutou. Aside from myself giving into the overwhelming energy to act 11 years old again, which I did most of the day, I was able to snap some fun pictures of the crew sending hard. Highlights of the day included Brooke and Shawn sending/flashing the classic V8 “Mr.Serious.” (Shawn shortly thereafter added the V10 sit start, and Brooke went on the send a V9!)
So, I was reminded again not to take climbing, or anything in life for that matter, too seriously and that there is no reason that I can’t be 11 years old whenever I’m out enjoying the rocks and sun! Thanks PrAna for your support in today’s youth climbing and for helping the family of climbing along. Please enjoy the pics and don’t act your ages!
Ever wonder what a day in the life of a world class climber was like? Alli was nice enough to let us in on one of hers!
6:30 a.m.: I wake up, get dressed, and head downstairs to get the fire started and the tea brewing (tea on workout/climbing days; coffee on non-climbing days). This done, I sit down on a cushion by the fire and meditate for half an hour, as I do every morning.
7:15: I sit and read by the fire for awhile, another morning ritual. I read inspirational or spiritual books in the morning; novels at night.
8:00: Breakfast this morning is seven-grain cereal with goji berries, walnuts, and honey, my favorite breakfast for sustained energy before a hard workout, since I have trouble eating when I’m exercising or climbing.
9:00: Jedi and I walk to the post office to drop off the Netflix DVDs and pick up the new ones. I walk to the post office every day but Sunday, since Ten Sleep is so small (pop. 304) that we don’t have home mail delivery.
9:30: I write my blog for the day and post it online.
We couldn’t help but be excited for prAna athlete Carrie Cooper’s first climbing cover on Urban Climber no less! The issue hit the streets at the Outdoor Retailer show and Carrie told us she had a great time and even wore out her dancing shoes while at the show. Here is what she had to say about the cover…
The latest Urban Climber Magazine is OUT! The cover is Kyle’s photo of me on Mobeus and it welcomes the reader with an accurate picture of the sloping, powerful and yet graceful problems that await climbers in NZed. Our feature article is my first published work and has ignited an excitement in me to do more! The 10 page spread is, in my opinion, carried by Kyle’s stellar photos. As a non-climber, Kyle’s eye is honed in a different way and I hope you enjoy his images! The issue itself seems to give each individual article a cohesive, over-arching theme: classics. Our article is named for a Tale of Two Cities, another is named for the amazing poem by John Keats, “Ode on a Grecian Urn”, which was a poem that resonated with me in high school.
“Beauty is truth, truth beauty,” – that is all
Ye know on earth, and all ye need to know.
The quotes that narrate a beautiful photo essay by Andrew Burr range from Mark Twain to Top Gun (One of my favorite movies to quote.) This issue is full of content that transcends the world of climbing and yet it matches so well. I love the play on words. Kudos to Justin Roth. I have to mention that the juxtaposition of the woman climbing on the rocks (you know which one I’m talk’in about) and the woman flying through the air like super dancer climber is one of my favorite parts of this issue.
Favorite Climb: Power of Silence, Hueco Tanks Training
Greatest Climbing Achievement: Winning the 2009 Vail Bouldering World Cup.
When Not Climbing: Hanging out with friends, playing card games, and eating tons of cookies and ice
cream! =)
I love to share my passion for climbing with everyone I come in touch with. Climbing is everything to me and it has brought me great things in life. It has given me the opportunity to meet so many awesome people and has led me to cool places around the world. There is noting better then traveling around and getting to climb at different places. There are so many different types of rock and various types of movements and I want to experience them all!
Chris Sharma’s meteoric climbing career started when he won the Bouldering Nationals at age 14 and opened the hardest climb in America (at the time, 5.14c) a year later. In the decade that followed, Chris has continued to take climbing to a new level. Not only has he consistently shattered previous conceptions of difficulty, he was recently voted 8a Climber of the Decade. He has sent multiple 5.15 routes, bouldered V15, onsighted 5.14b, and established deep water solo routes at the highest grades. Chris holds claim to the current hardest route in America, and perhaps the world, with his ascent of Jumbo Love at Clark Mountain in California. Chris has a lot on his plate this year with a new house in Spain, establishing a string of 5.15 routes and climbing almost daily with his girlfriend Daila Ojeda. The area around their home is considered one of the hotspots for the sport globally with more than 70 crags featuring steep limestone caves and seemingly endless possibilities. It looks like Chris will have plenty of time to perfect his Spanish accent…
Story and photos by 
Cuba, 
Finals for the 11th edition of 
6:30 a.m.: I wake up, get dressed, and head downstairs to get the fire started and the tea brewing (tea on workout/climbing days; coffee on non-climbing days). This done, I sit down on a cushion by the fire and meditate for half an hour, as I do every morning.
7:15: I sit and read by the fire for awhile, another morning ritual. I read inspirational or spiritual books in the morning; novels at night.
8:00: Breakfast this morning is seven-grain cereal with goji berries, walnuts, and honey, my favorite breakfast for sustained energy before a hard workout, since I have trouble eating when I’m exercising or climbing.
9:00: Jedi and I walk to the post office to drop off the Netflix DVDs and pick up the new ones. I walk to the post office every day but Sunday, since Ten Sleep is so small (pop. 304) that we don’t have home mail delivery.
9:30: I write my blog for the day and post it online.
We couldn’t help but be excited for prAna athlete Carrie Cooper’s first climbing cover on Urban Climber no less! The issue hit the streets at the Outdoor Retailer show and Carrie told us she had a great time and even wore out her dancing shoes while at the show. Here is what she had to say about the cover…
