This isn't about academic testing or anything sexually related . . . unless you love climbing. I headed down to Boulder on Wednesday night to see the newest films in the Stone Alliance Tour. Thursday, the NC3 hosted the film, Pure. These movies were inspirational, as you will come to find out.
The Stone Alliance tour started with a snippet of the video, Masters Of Stone VI, the sixth video in a series of serious climbing footage. Initially, I was taken back by the obvious choice to continue editing in the "80's style" that dominated the previous 5 videos in the series. But, as anyone who appreciates literature understands, the obvious choice to pay homage to the longest running climbing video series garned props from me. The section showcased featured the speed record on the Nose (El Capitan, Yosemite) and was incredible to watch.
The second video was Herakleia, featuring bouldering in Turkey's city Herakleia. With cleaver editing and a vast expance of incredible bouldering potential, this video was a sure hit. With colors similar to the Rocklands of South Africa and a group of climbers willing to push the boundries, I had to wipe my hand off on my jeans a few times during this film.
The third video featured was called, The Players and features many of todays up and coming, as well as seasoned veteran, climbers. With an in your face soundtrack, adaptive editing and shooting, and an incredible cast of climbers, this movie is guaranteed to be a thrill ride, when it is released on DVD. Currently, pre-orders are available at the Stone Alliance tour, while I'm not certain of pre-order availability online.
Tonight, my second night of climbing video bliss, was the NC3's premier of the newest Chuck Fryberger Film, Pure. Hearing about the movie since it premiered in Boulder just a few weeks ago, I've been amped to see this new bouldering film. The wait was well worth the reward.
Traveling across the globe, Chuck captured some of todays strongest climbers; not only in terms of their mental and physical strenths, but also with their abilities to progress this "sport" through their truly unique and innovate eyes. I honestly couldn't highlight one specific aspect of the movie that appeared better than another.
Capturing beautiful landsapes in conjunction with the climbers and the problems they were concuring was certainly a highlight. Throughout this movie, Chuck maintained audience attention through a perfect combination of beautiful climbs, asthetic areas, an up-beat soundtrack, short interviews, and a wide array of creative editing. Sweaty hands did most certainly abide as there was not a dull moment throughout the video. If you have the ability to see this movie, do so.
Aside from the premier, tonight was Fort Collins first glance at the trailer for Rocky Mountain Highball, a film project that has been a long time coming and will certainly garner tons of attention world-wide. With a local cast of superstars and many legends (John Gill, Lynn Hill, John Sherman, to name a few) and featuring a plethora of scary, proud lines across Colorado, this is not a film to miss. The Boulder premier date is set for April 27th, at the Boulder Theater. Keep your eyes and ears open for the trailor, when it is released online through Yama Studio.
The NC3 also has a big announcement and that is that our website is being finalized and is set to go online this upcoming Monday. You can visit the website at www.nococlimbing.org. More on that to come!
Showing posts with label climbing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label climbing. Show all posts
Friday, March 13, 2009
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Monday, July 28, 2008
Mr. Wimpy
Hearing that my friend Mike's car broke down yesterday and his girlfriend, Jen, needed to get to work in Rocky today, I had no choice but to elect to drive her up to Estes. As it turns out, Mr. Wimpy had shut me down last Thursday when I was back at The Kind with Jordan and Dave and Ashley's crew, so I was dying to get back on the problem.
With my caffeine levels just about maxed out, I let the sound of the stream nearby fill my head and drown out the chatter of approaching tourists. As I grabbed the starting hold and posted my feet, I began the problem I have attempted numerous times in the past couple of weeks. Suddenly I wasn't feeling like a Mr. Wimpy. Moving past the crux, I made a crucial foot adjustment; though subtle, the heal I had now allowed me to drop down into a critical hold that I needed to make the last throw for the lip. Gathering the last bit of strength I had left, I mantled out Mr. Wimpy with a heartfelt, yet great full "you bastard!"
I gathered my things and made my way up towards Emerald to see if I could spot the infamous Large and Real Large when, moments upon my arrival the rain began to make itself known. Hiking out with an ear-to-ear smile plastered across my face, I took the time to explain what was on my back to every tourist that presented the question. It was a good day.
It was looking like it was going to be a repeat of Thursday, when I flew past the crux of the problem on my first serious attempt, yet was unable to finish through the final moves.
Keeping a curious watch on the clouds that seemed to be billowing in on me from every direction, I decided that it was now or never (at least for this day).With my caffeine levels just about maxed out, I let the sound of the stream nearby fill my head and drown out the chatter of approaching tourists. As I grabbed the starting hold and posted my feet, I began the problem I have attempted numerous times in the past couple of weeks. Suddenly I wasn't feeling like a Mr. Wimpy. Moving past the crux, I made a crucial foot adjustment; though subtle, the heal I had now allowed me to drop down into a critical hold that I needed to make the last throw for the lip. Gathering the last bit of strength I had left, I mantled out Mr. Wimpy with a heartfelt, yet great full "you bastard!"
I gathered my things and made my way up towards Emerald to see if I could spot the infamous Large and Real Large when, moments upon my arrival the rain began to make itself known. Hiking out with an ear-to-ear smile plastered across my face, I took the time to explain what was on my back to every tourist that presented the question. It was a good day.
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Kind Boulder day 2
I wish I had one thing to say: today I got Mr. Wimpy. Unfortunately, I can't say that as I didn't. With another beautiful day at Rocky, I thought I was most certainly going to send the problem I fell in love with last Thursday. I was feeling really strong and my first serious effort propelled me through the crux though, having slight difficulties on the finish, I decided to (idiotically) remove myself from the problem. I continued working Mr. Wimpy and sequenced through the crux several more times, though I was unable to muster enough gusto for the finish.
A while later, Ashley made her way down from Chaos with the local Red Feather man, none other than Jacob. Jordan, Ashley, Jacob, and David spent some time at a more moderate boulder that, after a full day in Rocky, didn't feel as "moderate" as described.
Jordan and I hiked out a bit later and made a stop at Ed's, where I felt like I could have eaten the owners out of their business, had it been a buffet. Even though I didn't get Mr. Wimpy, it was a beautiful day and I was glad to get out climbing with Jordan again. All in all, it was a good day.
A while later, Ashley made her way down from Chaos with the local Red Feather man, none other than Jacob. Jordan, Ashley, Jacob, and David spent some time at a more moderate boulder that, after a full day in Rocky, didn't feel as "moderate" as described.
Jordan and I hiked out a bit later and made a stop at Ed's, where I felt like I could have eaten the owners out of their business, had it been a buffet. Even though I didn't get Mr. Wimpy, it was a beautiful day and I was glad to get out climbing with Jordan again. All in all, it was a good day.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Mt. Evans
I took a trip up to Mt. Evans with Cameron and Steph today. On the drive down, Cameron and I had a good discussion about a situation that drives me nuts up at Rotary; rock throwing. He made the point that, while it is something that frustrates me, there are ways and means to approaching the situation that would result in a greater acceptance of my opinion. I had to agree with his words.
After what felt like miles of switchbacks (ok, maybe one mile) we started making our way towards a granite wall. The first boulder we came across hosted a problem called The Ladder. While the start was a bit scrunchy for me, the climb itself was actually pretty fun. Slightly uphill, we stopped at a problem called Maker's Mark, a climb Steph had apparently been projecting for a couple of trips. Being that the crux move was not a matter of good technique or footwork, but brute strength, I was able to complete the climb . . . though it was not in the cleanest fashion, I will openly admit. A short while later, Steph was pointing out problems on the Dali boulder to me. While I couldn't do the opening moves yet (way scrunchy) I had fun working out the dyno and finishing out the problem. After Cam showed us the party trick moves to Chocolate Croissant (?) we headed down to Pink Phink, which was probably the climb that appealed to me the most being that the moves were generally a little bigger. I felt strong, but will have to make at least one more appearance at Mt. Evans before that problem will go. I am most certainly looking forward to returning.
After an exhausting hike out, we stopped at the brewery in Idaho Springs for some dinner before the drive back. Making it into Fort Collins well after 11, I found myself ready to pass out. It was an exhaustingly good day.
After what felt like miles of switchbacks (ok, maybe one mile) we started making our way towards a granite wall. The first boulder we came across hosted a problem called The Ladder. While the start was a bit scrunchy for me, the climb itself was actually pretty fun. Slightly uphill, we stopped at a problem called Maker's Mark, a climb Steph had apparently been projecting for a couple of trips. Being that the crux move was not a matter of good technique or footwork, but brute strength, I was able to complete the climb . . . though it was not in the cleanest fashion, I will openly admit. A short while later, Steph was pointing out problems on the Dali boulder to me. While I couldn't do the opening moves yet (way scrunchy) I had fun working out the dyno and finishing out the problem. After Cam showed us the party trick moves to Chocolate Croissant (?) we headed down to Pink Phink, which was probably the climb that appealed to me the most being that the moves were generally a little bigger. I felt strong, but will have to make at least one more appearance at Mt. Evans before that problem will go. I am most certainly looking forward to returning.
After an exhausting hike out, we stopped at the brewery in Idaho Springs for some dinner before the drive back. Making it into Fort Collins well after 11, I found myself ready to pass out. It was an exhaustingly good day.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Rocky Mountain Adventures
I woke up early today and met up with an acquaintance to go climbing with Ashley and David (two of the nicest people I have ever met) in Rocky Mountain National Park. My first time in RMNP, I decided to go with David and the girls to Emerald Lake, founding ourselves at the Kind Boulder with a couple of other climbers.
After a warm-up or two, I started to work out the Kind. In only about three or four tries I had nabbed the ascent! What an amazing line that is; I will have to agree with its classic status. While I wish I could state that many more climbs were ascended, that is not the story of the day for me. Enticed by another line on the Kind, Mr. Wimpy, I wore my tips out repeatedly attempting to work out the moves on the problem. While I was able to pull through the crux move independently, I was having a hard time sequencing into it . . . my first RMNP project (of many to come). A group of Japanese (or other Pacific Island descent) climbers showed up and began campusing the Kind . . . they were an interesting group of kids that certainly pulled hard. I believe a couple of them were working on the Kind Traverse.
Hiking out in a gentle rain that turned a bit harder, we got back to the car tired, hungry, and a little damp. A quick stop at Ed's allowed us to procure a drink or two and some much needed grub. I also ran into my friend Shawna bartending at Ed's where she poured me a not-so-modest helping of Don Julio 1942 . . . delicious. My acquaintance and I returned to Fort Collins and had a hard time watching a movie due to the droopy nature of our eyelids.
The next morning, while I was sleeping, she used my shower, flipped through a couple of magazines, used my internet, and possibly stole my pants. I know, this sounds odd, but I can't find them anywhere. This girl is a rafting guide in Clear Creek and I had run into her in Fort Collins a couple of days in a row when I decided she might have a fun time up in Rocky. I thought I was being an accommodating person, giving her some amenities that she had been lacking throughout the summer. I wish I could have told her my pants weren't included in my accommodations.
After a warm-up or two, I started to work out the Kind. In only about three or four tries I had nabbed the ascent! What an amazing line that is; I will have to agree with its classic status. While I wish I could state that many more climbs were ascended, that is not the story of the day for me. Enticed by another line on the Kind, Mr. Wimpy, I wore my tips out repeatedly attempting to work out the moves on the problem. While I was able to pull through the crux move independently, I was having a hard time sequencing into it . . . my first RMNP project (of many to come). A group of Japanese (or other Pacific Island descent) climbers showed up and began campusing the Kind . . . they were an interesting group of kids that certainly pulled hard. I believe a couple of them were working on the Kind Traverse.
Hiking out in a gentle rain that turned a bit harder, we got back to the car tired, hungry, and a little damp. A quick stop at Ed's allowed us to procure a drink or two and some much needed grub. I also ran into my friend Shawna bartending at Ed's where she poured me a not-so-modest helping of Don Julio 1942 . . . delicious. My acquaintance and I returned to Fort Collins and had a hard time watching a movie due to the droopy nature of our eyelids.
The next morning, while I was sleeping, she used my shower, flipped through a couple of magazines, used my internet, and possibly stole my pants. I know, this sounds odd, but I can't find them anywhere. This girl is a rafting guide in Clear Creek and I had run into her in Fort Collins a couple of days in a row when I decided she might have a fun time up in Rocky. I thought I was being an accommodating person, giving her some amenities that she had been lacking throughout the summer. I wish I could have told her my pants weren't included in my accommodations.
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