Ibex Breakaway Hoodie

As fall approaches, temperatures get cooler, the leaves start to change, and we start to put on more clothing. I have been testing the Ibex Breakaway Hoody all year and it has finally come to the market! I love this piece for climbing as well as hanging out after a long day in the mountains.

I started wearing this jacket during the ice season last year. It is great for ice climbing with its Schoeller® Wool stretch woven fabric and articulated elbows. The jacket also performed well in the Tetons during cool summer nights at high camp and frigid mornings heading up the Grand. The fabric held up well when scraping up  chimneys, and there was very little if any pilling around the harness wear areas. Because the jacket is wool, it doesn’t retain odors, and its machine washability makes it easy to care for.

As the days tend to fade even further and the temps continue to drop, I will add the Indie Hoodie as a base layer and eventually the Wool Aire jacket for my complete layering system. Both jackets are available in both men’s and women’s should be on any climbers wish list for this coming fall and winter seasons!

Repairs

If you spend a lot of time in the mountains (and traveling the country in your truck), you get really good at repairing things on the fly. McNett makes products that have become essential for carrying in the backcountry and have proven equally useful in the “front country.”

I was driving down a backcountry road in my truck the other day, and one of the batteries in my camper busted the hinge to the compartment door that they are stored in. I also have been needing to repair my LaSportiva Gandas as I have put close to 60 mountain days on these great shoes and want to extend their life before getting them resoled. So as I am repairing my shoes with Freesole, I thought to myself, “Wonder if this could work on my truck?”  I have a new compartment door on order, but it would be nice if it was useable in the mean time. So after a bit of shoe repair, I went to work on the door…

Freesole made it work great!

I use medical gloves to keep the stickiness down!

I use medical gloves to keep the stickiness down!

I’ve used some of Gear Aid’s other products like Tenacious Tape, Seam Grip, and GORE-TEX patches quite a bit on tents, sleeping pads, pants, and jackets to keep them in good working order. I have even started carrying a small repair kit into the mountains because gear has gotten lighter but not necessarily stronger!

Deuter Guide 35+ Pack Review and Tips

The Deuter Guide 35+ pack has been a go-everywhere, hold-everything, take-anything-I put-it-through pack. Deuter has been making packs since the 1800’s, and they are built German tough with nothing held back. I have used this pack for everything from guiding winter Sierra summits to putting up first ascents in Armenia to cragging in the Red River Gorge and just got off the Cathedral Traverse in the Tetons with it yesterday. Over 400 days of mountain use later, not a single thing has broken on this pack! The only thing that even had wear was a pull string for the lid, and all that happened there was the sheath wore away.

At 3 lbs 12 oz, the pack isn’t the lightest on the market, just the most durable. Deuter has brought out the Guide Lite series for those wanting ultra-light pack. But again, I have never had a pack that I could put 400 days of use on and have no rips or tears or repairs. The Guide 35+ is made for serious climbers and alpinists who want durability and performance.

Useful features of the Deuter Guide 35+ pack:

-Side zipper to main compartment

-“3 way” removable hip belt

-Gear loops on waist belt

– Made from Deuter-MacroLite 420, Deuter-Duratex-Lite material

Ideal uses for the Deuter Guide 35+ pack:

-Summer alpine rock climbing

-High-end winter alpine climbing where speed and size are an issue

-Cragging

-Getting groceries on your bike

Tips for the Deuter Guide 35+ pack:

-When carrying your climbing rack, put a puffy or something soft in the bottom. This will help the bottom of the pack not abrade so harshly when it rubs against the rocks.

-The hip belt is removable, but you can also just remove the padding. I like this feature when climbing with a harness.

-Once on the climb, I usually stuff my lid inside the pack and use the pull cords to keep the pack closed. This makes the pack smaller and also gives you more room to look up at the next holds.

-While on the climb with the lid stuffed in, I keep things like my wind jacket, water bottle, and food on the side with the zipper. This allows for easy access to the items I will want at hanging belays.

-I can use a lighter harness when climbing with the Guide 35+ because it has gear loops on the waist belt.

-If you leave the top ice axe holder a little loose, you can unclip the bottom buckle and remove the axe without taking the pack off.

-Use the Helmet Holder to hold your helmet secure and provide a little more room in the pack. (I also use this to carry my WAG bags out.)

Deuter Guide 35+ with top tucked in for climbing.

Training for Steep Climbing

It is hard to stay in shape for climbing in places like the Red River Gorge, New River Gorge, and Rifle, CO, all of which present steep climbing that most of us don’t get to do 4 to 5 days a week, especially when it is hot and humid outside. I have been doing this workout 2 to 3 times per week for my upcoming climbing stint in the Red River Gorge.

In the Climbing Gym–

Warm up:

I do this with an auto-belay and usually on very easy, juggy routes. I climb up as well as down-climb and usually spend about 20 min.

4 x 4s:

You can do these on boulder problems or routes. I have found boulder problems to be more useful for me personally, and I tend to push myself harder.

Pick a route or 4 different routes that you can complete without coming off the wall. These routes should be near your limit at the last set, and you might even fall off. Climb the route and then down-climb any route to get back to the start of your next route. Do this 4 times, shaking out when needed. Then take a 5 min rest between sets.

Repeat 4 times.

Bachar Ladder:

I go up the Bachar Ladder using my feet to move up. Once I hit the next rung, I cut feet and do a right toe raise to the height of the bottom hand and then a left toe raise. I then put one foot on to move one hand up a full bar. You can see this in the video.

Do this 2 times with a 5 min rest in between.

Hangboard:

Start on small holds (no shaking). Hang for 60 seconds.

Move to a jug with one hand, shake with the other. 30 seconds.

Switch hands. 30 seconds.

Back to small holds (no shaking). 60 seconds.

Move to jug with one hand, shake with the other. 30 seconds.

Switch hands. 30 seconds.

Back to small holds (no shaking). 60 seconds.

Rest for 5 min and repeat 3 times.

Cool Down: Probably just walking to the car. Don’t drive until you can hold the steering wheel.

I have also been doing a lot of mountain running and biking to keep my cardio in good shape. You want to do this to both stay lean and be able to keep your heart rate down on those pumpy routes this fall.

Good luck on all your sends!

The Same Playing Field

What would it be like to be in game seven of the World Series, bases loaded, down by 3, full count, Roger Clemens on the mound……and you’re at bat! Many children (and some of us adults) dream of being up against some of the best players in the world just one time, just to know how they would do, what it would feel like.

I played baseball for about 17 years. One of my fondest memories was running out to center field at the same stadium that Ken Griffey, Jr. played in. It was really the closest I ever came to facing the same perils and experiences that Ken Griffey, Jr. faced–not much different than walking down the same street he walked down. Point being, these experiences are untouchable.

Climbing is different. I was in the climbing gym a few days ago when Renan Ozturk walks in and does a little plastic-pulling workout. For those of you who don’t know Renan, he just did the Tooth Traverse, which is a pretty remarkable alpine objective. His climbing partner, Freddie Wilkinson, whom I brush shoulders with all the time in the New England coffee shops, climbed with Uli Steck this spring so Uli could be ready for his race up Everest. So one might say these guys are some of the best in the world, and yet I find myself in this gym training on the same routes that Renan is training on. Huh, pretty cool!

I know you have all seen the Citi Bank commercial with Alex Honnold and Katie Brown on Ancient Art. It is funny to see public reaction to things like this as it is supposedly dangerous, crazy, and untouchable. Climbers all laugh, because many of you have done this climb; you can relate to the uneasy feeling Katie has as she stands on the top of the Gendarme to get her picture taken. Albeit, your picture was probably take from the belay and not a helicopter.

Climbing is one of those adventures people can go on and have experiences that put them with the folks at the top of the game. You can sit back and dream about getting on the Nose of El Capitan and wonder what Lynn Hill might have felt like as she pulled through the changing corners pitch, or you can take a road trip and experience it for yourself.

So while I am still off dreaming of a way to see that fastball or feel what it is like to hold that follow through with #23 on my jersey, the one thing I don’t have to dream of is going into the mountains. We are all on the same playing field out there…..go live your dream!

For some climbing inspiration, check out the Tooth Traverse.

Sizing for Climbing Shoes

“What size climbing shoes should I get?”

“How should my climbing shoes fit?”

“How do you size your approach shoes?”

These are common questions about the sizing and fit of climbing shoes that I hear all the time. I put together a video answering some of these questions. Remember, climbing is supposed to be fun; pain isn’t fun. Buy shoes that fit and feel good, and you WILL climb harder!

Inspirational Video

The Best Camera to Carry

Shooting photography has become a passion of mine over the last few years. I have lots of equipment that cost too much money, yet which camera do I always have on me and find myself constantly relying on? My iPhone! So I have delved more and more into shooting and editing with the iPhone. I use various applications to edit, but I still just use the built-in camera for shooting in all cases but one, which I will talk about later.

I’ve learned a couple of useful techniques for shooting photos with an iPhone. First,  the “shutter” takes when you release your finger from the screen, as opposed to when you push the button. Therefore, the most effective way to take a photo is to put your finger on the button, focus on your subject, and then release your finger. Knowing this will give you a photo that is clearer, and you won’t get as much camera shake. Another technique is taking a photo by pushing the “volume up” button. This facilitates taking self-portraits like the one below.

shutter release timer. In that case, I use the app Camera Awesome,which was developed by SmugMug. This app also features a fast shutter that will shoot slow burst or fast burst, albeit at a lower resolution. You can find this app at www.awesomize.com

Here are some other apps that I use to edit:

Camera Plus Pro

PicShop

Color Splash

I always keep my phone protected by my LifeProof case that you can find here:

www.lifeproof.com

Climbing Armenia

I am still getting used to speeding my life back up even though it has been over a week since I returned from the former Soviet state of Armenia. The life there is just a bit slower: you get a couple of hours to eat a breakfast that doesn’t even start until 9 A.M.! I actually figured one morning that I could drag breakfast into lunch and possibly take a quick siesta at the table and still be on time for dinner.  Lest this made me feel a bit sluggish, I quickly woke up when I hit the Yerevan streets in my little Lada Niva. Locals all drive like they have just stolen the vehicle they are in: one foot on the gas, one foot on the horn. Once out of the bustling city I soon found myself in rolling hills that gradually grew into larger mountains. The country folks are a bit reserved at first but, like most Armenians, are welcoming and always very giving.

The climbing in Armenia is as far from developed as it could possibly be; the number of climbers there could fit in a small school bus. I was fortunate to get to hang out with Mkhitar Mkhitaryan, who started the climbing club Up The Rocks. Mkhitar has been the main developer for climbing in Armenia and was featured in Rock and Ice issue 189. Mkhitar graciously showed us as many climbing areas as he could in the two weeks we had there. Most of these areas held a smattering of routes with almost endless possibilities for future development.. From places where you could belay out the back of the Lada Niva to fairly long approches with some of the sketchiest bridges I have ever walked across, here is a photo essay of the trip!

Cheers to all for great climbing, a wonderful country, and the welcoming Armenian people!

The first ascent of “Don’t Pay the Old Man” (5.9) on the Nose Buttress.

Climbing exists in the city as well. Here, Marius make his way up a route in the Hrazdan Gorge.

I took my run on the hardest line in the country. It is a proposed 5.13+ and is still without a clean ascent.

There are many vipers lurking near most of the climbing areas, so one must stay aware!

Inside one of the many monasteries in Armenia, some of which are over 3000 years old!

Karine “slackin” in one of the many local parks.

A trip to Garni Gorge from the city only takes about an hour, making day trips great!

Paige climbing one of the famous pillars. Sometimes they are detached and a little hard to protect!

Armenia is known mostly for its stunning and dinstictive basalt columns which were featured in Rock and Ice. Here is another view of Garni Gorge.

Mkhitar on his project,”Hell’s Diamond” (5.12a). He sent our last day there and his last go.

Mkhitar on the second ascent of my route, “Rainy Day” (5.10a), Noravank Canyon

One of the many questionable “bridges” available to test a climber’s mettle before he or she even touches the rock. This particular bridge guards climbs in Arpa Gorge.

Arpa Gorge also boasts a good amount of basalt climbing. Mkhitar on “TriCam” (5.10).

Every time we were back in the Yerevan, Mount Ararat was looming on the horizon.

Moving into the crux on the third ascent of “Hell’s Diamond.”

Paige on the first ascent of “Mkhitar’s Gift”(5.7) at the Arzni Wall outside the village of Arzni.

Unfortunately, I got pulled over for speeding. They let me off but argued that a picture of my driver’s license on my iPhone wasn’t legitimate only because the battery could die! Mkhitar had to argue quite a while!

Armenian Hardman

I was fortunate enough to be invited to the first-ever indoor climbing competition–a beginners’ comp for local Armenian Mountaineering and Hiking Federation members. The honorable guest, main speaker, and judge was Aghvan Chatinyan. Chatinyan is known as the “Armenian Hard Man” and at 84, he lives up to it. His list of life accomplishments is long to say the least. The greatest feat, according to many Armenian locals, was edging out Soviet climber Mikhael Khergiani in the 1952 climbing comp in Arzni, Armenia. The only place this was documented was a newspaper called the “Communist.” Chatinyan brought the original to the comp. Mkhitar Mkhitaryan (the founder of Up The Rocks) introduced me to the Hard Man. Chatinyan was very excited to meet an American climber and duly proceeded to present me with the pin that he received in 1981 after winning the first official Armenian climbing comp that was held in Noravanq canyon. It was truly an honor to receive a gift from a mountaineering legend from such an important event in Armenia’s climbing history. You can read more here on Aghvan Chatinyan