Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Urban Climber - Classic Cali article



In this months (issue #48 May 2011) edition of Urban Climber Magazine, I contributed some info to a short article about California. Not to take anything away from that original and to the point article I would just like to add a bit more of my own info to make it the best article it could be. I want to say this is my first article published in a magazine and it's kind of cool! I have had photos published in Urban Climber before but never anything written. I am excited to do more! Thanks CVL!!

I want to make a few things clear that were either unclear or left out for some reason - basicly I'm going to point out and even rewrite parts of the article to make it better or at least more clear/detailed in my opinion - here it is:


here is how I would have wrote the first paragraph:
CALIFORNIA, the third largest state in the nation, is home to a huge collection of climbing areas. Yosemite, the mecca for western climbing is only part of what California has to offer. The east side of the Sierra, the Pacific Coast and even a few unique inland areas, some of which are even right near the highly populated Bay Area have many high quality rocks that are not to be missed. All year in Cali can be all good with old school classics, virgin new routes and in springtime crispy granite and massive waterfalls in the heat of summer, sandy beaches with bouldering on exotic rocks. Fall and Winter offer up Bishop bouldering and the multitude of classics in every style at Joshua Tree in the high desert of Southern California.


here are more of my additions;
The Sierras contain a huge collection of alpine routes and are also surrounded by many, excellent sport and bouldering areas like Jailhouse Rock and the awesome Columbia limestone boulders near Sonora. Other incredible sport and trad climbs are to be found at The Needles and Shuteye Ridge on the western slopes to the world class Buttermilk Boulders, the Volcanic Tablelands and Owens River Gorge on the east side. To the north are the unique Humboldt County area limestone crags and beach rocks; and to the west is the Bay Area's mix of sport climbing, bouldering and top roping like the famous Mickey's Beach as well as the historic test-pieces and outdoor gym-like variations at the Berkeley area crags and boulders. Last but not least is the high quality, Fontainbleau-esque sandstone playground, Castle Rock near the Silicon Valley of San Jose.



For the Bay Area I would have also mentioned the new 5.14a Beach Arete (without drilled pocket) first done by Kevin Jorgeson, then by Ethan Pringle and then by Charlie Barrett. I also would have mentioned Eco Terrorist (V10) at Castle Rock State Park, the old school classic Nat's Traverse (V8) at Mortar Rock, Berkeley and Pelican Arete (V0R) at the Sunset Boulders in Goat Rock Park.

For Yosemite I would have also mentioned Nutcracker (5.8/9) and Midnight Lightning (V8).

For Bishop I would have also mentioned Strength In Numbers (V5) at the Sads and Essential Peabody (V0R) at the Buttermilks.


For the Inside Scoop I would have mentioned;
Delicious foods from all over the world and great Micro Breweries. Mt Tam not Marin Headlands maybe for the best place
to mountain bike since it was the birthplace of mountain biking. I also would have mentioned that Hwy 101 takes you to the Wine Country not Hwy 1 - but Hwy 1 will take you to the scenic North Coast.

Mainly, I'm very stoked to have any part of any article published in any magazine - I just want to make it the best it could be here on my blog.

:)


Sunday, May 8, 2011

Judge Dredd


First top rope ascent of Judge Dredd
- 1994/5ish!?

Judge Dredd (5.13b) gets its 7th? or 8th? confirmed ascent (that I've heard of anyway) in about 14 years since I did first lead ascent in 1997ish? - great job Ben Polanco!

Link to an Anthony Lapomardo PIC of Ben Polanco on Judge Dredd:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=1898362091920&set=a.1065356747307.12114.1027660192&type=1&theater

and an Anthony Lapomardo VID of Ben Polanco on Judge Dredd at Dead Point Magazine.com:
http://www.dpmclimbing.com/climbing-videos/watch/climber-profile-ben-polanco

Geysers Rocks


The Mecca



Mecca Cave



Mecca



Gully Rock



Stoned Warrior V6 sit FA! Warrior Rock
Photo: Richard Newton



Travis Lombardo works the Rock Warrior Project
Warrior Rock



Eric "Wedge" Owen - Cricket Arete V3 sit
Cricket Rock



Pine Flat Traverse V6 FA! Pine Flat Rock
Photo: Sean Brady



Sean Brady - Pine Flat Traverse
Pine Flat Rock



Sean Brady - Rattlesnake Rock Traverse V3/4/5!?
Rattlesnake Rock

*A mix of possibly legit, quick hit, roadside attractions :) and top secret/priv prop rocks with NO ACCESS :( / :)

Geysers - NORTH

First Falls
1-30 = VB-V6!? {{+~100 new problems as of ~2017/18}}

Mecca {{CLOSED / PRIV PROP / NO ACCESS}}
31-100 = VB-V11!?

Lower Creek Boulders?
101-125 = V!??

Upper Creek Boulders?
126-150 = V!??

Hillside Rock?
151-155 = 5.!?-V!?

Warrior Boulders (Warrior Rock)
156 Pull Out Crack V0
157 Bumper Arete V1 stand V3 sit
158 Pick Your Poison Wall (backside of Warrior Rock)
159 Poison Arete Vo stand V1 sit - right arete
160 Poison Traverse V3 sit start #159 traverse left into #162
161 Poison Face V0 stand V1 sit - center face
162 Wired V1/2 stand V2/3 low start
163 Wired Traverse V3 low start #162 - traverse up right into #159
164 Wired Arete? TR?
165 Stoned Warrior Traverse V4 low
166 Warrior Syndrome V5/6 stand or Stoned Warrior V6 sit
167 Stoned Warrior Traverse V6 traverse high (into and out of Warrior Syndrome)
168 Rock Warrior Project V7/8!? R? hard highball face!!
169 tall steep face??
170 crack/corner/arete??

Creekpile Rocks
171 Creekpile Traverse V1/2 left to right step off or into V3/4 = V4/5!?
172 Creekpile V3/4 sit
173 Creekpile Crack - TR? (big rock below other side of road)
174 ??
175 ??


Geysers - SOUTH
Rattlesnake Rock

176 Snakehead V!?
177 !??
178 Rattlesnake Traverse V3/4 (harder now since hold broke!?)
179 Rattlesnake Arete V!? TR or highball left arete
180 Rattlesnake Face V!? TR or highball center face
181 Amagaba? V3 stand V4 sit ?? TR or highball right arete
182 Rattlesnake Crack V0 TR or highball crack right of arete
183 V1? face
184 Snake Pit V3 sit or V1 stand - left side of short face on far right
185 V0 stand or V1 sit - far right side of main wall

Gully Rock
186 ??
187 ??
The Klump
188 The Klump V1 sit left arete, V3 sit center face, V3 sit right


Pine Flat

Pine Flat Rock
189 Pine Flat Slab VB-V0 R
190 Pine Flat Crack V0 R
191 Pine Flat Traverse (separate starts: Slab Traverse V0 (finish), Gold Bulge V1/2, Slab Crux V2/3, Pine Flat Traverse V4/5 midway start or V6!? start to finish.
192 ??

Cricket Rock
193 Cricket Highball!? left side of main face!?
194 Cricket Corner V1/2
195 Cricket Arete V2/3 (or Jiminy Cricket Dyno V3/4/5!?)
196 Cricket Crack V0
197 Cricket Mantle (aka Attack Mantle) V2
198 Cricket Traverse V3/4 into Cricket Mantle finish or V2/3 main face
199 Cricket Crack Traverse V3 into Cricket Crack finish
200 Cricket Face - TR?


Stoned Warrior V6 sit FA! - YOUTUBE

Mecca Cave (secret) - YOUTUBE

First Falls YOUTUBE-Playlist