Archive for On the Rocks

The Everest Build… 50 years, New Hope

03/29/2013 On the Rocks, Reel Reasons, Vedavoo, Workshop Fresh No comments
FEAT_Everest

Vedavoo Ambassador Mike Chambers has spent the past few days in Katmhandu, and leaves in the morning for the Khumbu Valley – and his first steps toward the summit of the world’s tallest peak. He’s climbing Everest for Flying Kites Global – an amazing organization targeting support of orphaned children in Kenya through a Home and Leadership Academy they built. Check out their work – it’s worth believing in!

About six months ago – when his plans were starting to come together for the expedition – he reached out to me to build him a pack for his summit bid. I was ecstatic! By far the most difficult and challenging project I’d taken on to date, and dreams of my work at the top of the world drove me forward through my early trepidation. This was one pack that absolutely could not, and would not fail.

I spent hours designing and refining concepts on paper before I started work – it had to be clean – it had to be simple – and it had to be able to withstand the challenges that the Mountain would throw it’s way. Then, with literally dozens of concepts clouding my vision, I got a message from an old Boy Scout friend that included a link to a page chronicling the first American ascent of Everest in 1963. To say that I was inspired was a vast understatement.

In a few weeks, it will have been 50 years since Jim Whittaker took the last few steps to the summit, and at the time of his climb, only six others had accomplished the feat – Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay included – and the trek to the peak took him almost 10 weeks. There were no airstrips then – so he hiked 187 miles to base camp from Kathmandu to start his effort. Whittaker’s pack – a classic external frame made of bright, gold fabric – became my inspiration.

Given the opportunity to build a pack for Everest – and one that WILL be carried to the summit within days of the golden anniversary, I vowed to pay tribute to the first American, with a pack that would represent him while supporting the bid of another great American climber today.

In the months that followed, I tried various shape studies – cut / trimmed / refined until the ideal layout emerged. I stayed as true as possible to the style and form of Whittaker’s pack – and from that model, I worked on critical improvements and features that would meet today’s requirements for Mike.

The pack I built just flowed – everything had a place and a purpose, and though the effort took almost two weeks of time in the workshop to bring to reality, the final pack more than met my expectations. Like Whittaker’s pack – Mike’s is Gold and Black – and both are products of craftsmen in the United States of America.

Whittaker Raising the Flag at the Summit - his gold pack shows in the lower left.

Whittaker Raising the Flag at the Summit – his gold pack shows in the lower left.

Everest is … well… Everest. Like no other test on the planet. So I’m proud to have had the opportunity to test my work like this; but, being able to also share in the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the first American ascent by sending another American-built pack to the summit is something I will never forget and always cherish.

My heartiest good luck to Mike – we’ll all be rooting for you and sending prayers for your safe ascent and return. Looking forward to sharing in your celebration from the Summit!

Scott

PHOTOS FROM MIKE’S JOURNEY

FOLLOW MIKE’S JOURNEY THROUGH HIS EXPEDITION SITE

VIEW MIKE’S AMBASSADOR PAGE

Inspiration

06/18/2012 On the Rocks, Reel Reasons, Vedavoo No comments
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This year has been a special one. December through May brought nothing but beautiful weather to South Dakota. We were fortunate enough to climb and hike almost the entire winter, with only a handful of days where we were trapped inside a climbing gym. Spring brought more of the same, but with more intensity. I doubt we’ll ever see seasons like these again – perfect for making new stories with good friends and family – climbing, falling, trekking through snow, and sitting in the rain through thunder storms.

I climb to test my limits –  many of those terrifying bouldering top-outs and long-standing projects are behind me, and new projects are ahead.  One of those, is my return to music.

The past five months I have been writing a lot, learning new songs and playing all around Rapid City and Wyoming. Pulling inspiration from my surroundings, I have been focused on creating something new with my music.  That creative process helped me express feelings and writing helps me to understand myself.

As I’ve have wandered down this road, I have come to appreciate the creative arts, creative minds, creative hands, and the dedication of those who pursue their passions… and learned through my own experience, how those passions re-point creativity back at us.

For me, creativity is about the mixture of chords and lyrics that resonate in our souls to express emotions words alone simply cannot say.  We climb because of the aesthetics and creativity that are involved when faced with a 100 foot challenge. We fish because of our connection to pristine waters, our serene environment, and the adrenaline we feel when our lines go tight. And, as artists, we create because we believe in the joy of seeing something emerge from nothing.

They patiently chip away what does not belong in order to expose what was already there – to find something special that’s been hidden from view. This kind of creativity means having the heart to discover what was there all along – and to stick it out. As artists, we create because it is our passion.

Passion is about the extremely late nights and early mornings to finish the final stitches in a pack that we hope to see on the trail or river someday. Determination chips away the frustrations in order to create patience and success. It is about trekking down the road less traveled because we are driven by our passion. This passion is a flame within our very being. It ignites and burns the shadow of doubt that creeps into our minds and it fuels our hearts to push us through the most difficult of tasks.

True beauty is not forced. It takes more patience and time than our fast-paced, wireless internet, smart phone, Facebook-driven society can cognitively grasp. Nature’s perfect beauty was fashioned from the many years of rain, snow, wind, ice, and sun. As much as people have tried to recreate it on a canvas, no one will ever be able to do it as perfectly as the process of time has. As much as we would all love to see immediate results, all we can do is face this road as it is, persevere through the trials, and accept that we are part of a creative process … being carved into who we are supposed to be, and ready for what we are supposed to do.The failures, sleepless nights, cuts, bruises and falls are all part of how we learn to move forward. As we choose our passions and our passions choose us, our experiences help mold us and create who we are as people.

In the brilliant words of E.E. Cummings, “It takes courage to grow up and turn out to be who you really are.”

Send your projects, and NEVER forget to take the time to appreciate those who walk with you and always have your back. Create, express, pursue, overcome and always challenge yourself. Continue to fall, fail, cry and heal… just stay determined, remember you’re part of a process, and keep moving forward. Be terrified. Be excited. Be courageous!!! This whole time life has been chipping away the extra shit to expose who I truly am. My passions are creating me. All of our roads are less traveled, and I am a firm believer that wherever we are, good or bad, we are always right where we are supposed to be.

Continue to follow your passions, be patient, stay determined and when the dust settles…keep moving.

—-

With the support of family (my wife) and friends (you know who you are), overcoming these projects seems to make the blood, sweat and beers worth while. Thank you to all my friends and family for keeping me motivated and always putting up with my antics! Ya’ll are the creative artists that continue to chip away the unneeded shit in my life that makes me a better human being. I am truly in debt to ya’ll and I got nothing but love and mad respect for you. Thank you for being my inspiration. Cheers! Collin

On the Rocks No. 5: First View of Nanda Devi

04/05/2012 On the Rocks, Vedavoo No comments
First View of Nanda Devi

Sept. 2nd 9:00am
Arrived by train yesterday. Traveled an extra 4 hours by jeep to the NOLS base in Raniket. Finally we have entered into the mountains everyone’s spirits are high today. We met everyone at the base and made ourselves at home. This morning at breakfast either the spices or a food allergy made my throat lock up for a bit. Stayed calm and didn’t panic it was over shortly. Layed out all of our gear today to see what we will need for the mountains. Many people of this expedition have never heard of the Black Hills. I was very excited to see a poster in the gear room of a NOLS instructor climbing the Needles of the Black Hills – made my day big time. It was nice to shower tonight and by shower I mean a faucet in the wall that you fill a cup and pour water on yourself. The food in India has amazed me – way better than expected. We are supposed to watch out for the Dragons that live in the area. A dog’s leg was practically chewed off the other day by one.

It’s a beautiful night out. Across the valley we are seeing a few 14,000 ft peaks with clouds rolling over them. Wonder what the morning will bring!


Sept. 6 2011 6:10am – “A Taste of Altitude”
Traveled 11 miles yesterday all up hill. Was extremely strenuous hiking. We arrived at the small village of Khati or at least a village to the natives. A village here in India is at least one building and 3 people. Luckily Khati has about 6 buildings all british and old. We ascended a 10,000ft pass to get here. Our first glimpse of the mountains is mind blowing. I have never looked at such jagged towering mountains. Pictures and stories will never ever give these mountains justice. As I write this Nanda Devi is clearing its summit and poking above the clouds. The morning sun is just hitting all the summits. The scale is almost surreal. The nights get pretty cool here and in the morning everything is covered in dew. We are staying another night to rest and do some training. Everyone is just wanting to get into the mountains. Patience I am slowly learning.

First View of Nanda Devi

More to come!

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Mike Madsen is one of Vedavoo’s Ambassadors – stay tuned for another snip of his adventure Journal from his experience at NOLS India.

The National Outdoor Leadership School has courses around the globe focusing on delivering skills and resources for 17 outdoor activities including Backpacking, Backpacking and River Canoeing, Caving, Climbing, Fly-Fishing, Horsepacking, Lightweight Backpacking, Mountaineering, Rafting, River, River Kayaking, Sailing, Sea Kayaking, Skiing, Snowboarding, and Wilderness Medicine.

On the Rocks No. 4: A Glimpse of Utah

04/05/2012 On the Rocks, Vedavoo No comments
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I’d never been to Utah for a climbing trip, so when some friends were talking about going I was interested. I soon learned that the place they were headed (Indian Creek) was pure crack climbing–aka no footholds except for shoving your feet into the crack. I must say, this turned me off a bit so my pursuit of getting work off and making plans slowed. I did some investigating and read some things about Indian Creek though, and decided that it’d probably be good for me to expand my climbing techniques to more than just balancy granite climbing. I was able to get work off, packed up some stuff and went! And I am SO glad I did.

Aside from the climbing, Indian Creek is an absolutely gorgeous place. The red cliffs looming on each side of us as we drove through the multiple canyons reminded me of how small I really am and how big this world is, let alone the Creator of it all.

We were able to spend 10 days at the Creek, climbing most days but taking time for some rest days as well. It did take me a bit to switch from balancy, granite slab climbing to frictiony, sandstone crack climbing but after the first couple of days I was really starting to get the hang of it. I probably didn’t lead routes as often as I should have, but toproping was a blast too! I did hop on a few 5.9s that I led, at about the halfway point of my climb I realized that I really need to work on my mental game!! I make myself so nervous and psych myself out.

During a lead climb I usually have to stop at least once, take a big deep breath, assure myself that I’m capable and remind myself that I always have someone other than my belayer watching out for me. Some very noteworthy routes that I got on would include: Our Piece of Real Estate, Railroad Tracks, Desert Moon, Wild Cat, The Wave…and those are only a few! Not only was the scenery awesome and the climbing incredible–the group that I went with was tons of fun too! The hours that we spent around the campfire were just as special to me as were our climbing/exploring hours. Catching up with old friends is always a treat, as is sharing stories and learning about new friends that we met while we were there. I included some photos with this post–mostly scenery since I quickly learned that the boys I went with aren’t too big on taking pictures! Utah was a wonderful adventure–there’s so many more things that I wanted to do and routes I wanted to climb; I suppose I’ll just have to go back some day. Bummer. :)

- Brianna Stengel is a Vedavoo Ambassadors – stay tuned for new posts from her climbs and travels.

On the Rocks No. 3: The Beginning Of My NOLS Himalayan Adventure

03/13/2012 On the Rocks, Vedavoo No comments
E4 Kalish Street ( Park is behind red signs in background)

Hey Y’all its been a fun and busy year so far. It’s finally nice to be back home able to relax and reflect on my future and mountaineering goals. I hope in the coming days to post and write more of my Adventures in the high Himalaya. With ever great adventure this one took lots of time, waiting, money, courage and support. So please enjoy as I give you a first hand look at what it takes to survive in the Himalayas. These are actual Journal entries. Enjoy! Mike

August 31st   — 7:14 am

I awoke this morning at 5am to the sun and heat pouring into my hotel room in New Delhi. Laying here makes me think about what I’m doing here.  Sure I’ve been all over Europe and the US, but this is different. I’m 9,000 miles away from anything that means something to me. I have a wonderful case of travelers diarrhea. First thing I should do is find an ATM. I walk into the bathroom to turn on the shower, it only has one choice cold. The temperature on my phone shows 92 degrees with 87% humidity. I grab my stuff and head downstairs to the lobby.

I take my first step outside the hotel to see a city I had only viewed in pictures. The sun is scorching I begin to sweat. If the weather and the smell doesn’t get me then a city of 24 million may. I look both ways up the winding road of E4 Kalish. I see Rickshaws, Bicycles, Cars, People walking left and right, voices and animals. I walk down the block and the first sites I see are a young male showering in the street. I stop to realize what is happening here, next I see a older male squatting off the sidewalk in some trees by the smell I instantly know what he is doing. This place can be summed up in one simple word, ” GNAR.”

The city itself is very trashy, It smells almost identical to a bad pet store that hasn’t had up keep in years. I start to miss my life back in the US.  I head to the closest park I can find. Its here that I see locals meditating, playing cricket, running and brushing teeth. It smells like a land fill. I stand and Watch some young kids play cricket with garbage they have found. A man in the background hasn’t broke meditation in at least 20 minutes despite all the noise of Delhi. I hangout and shoot some shots with my camera before leaving the park. I see a busy alley way that makes me curious what lies down it. As I walk down the narrow dark alleyway I hear tons of noise. As I turn the corner I find myself in the middle of what must be some type of market place. Shoe, tobacco, food, groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables, animals, deserts, clothing and even bikes. The first thing to catch my eye here is the food that has been cooked by locals. I walk by the glass cases and see hundreds of flies and bugs in the cases. The food looks so tempting, but I don’t know what is good and what isn’t at this point.  I decided I should head back to the Hotel and get some food there.

Half hour later and probably 2 gallons of sweat I reach the hotel. I go up to my room and turn on the air conditioning full blast. I undress to just some NorthFace climbing pants and relax. I call down to the lobby for some breakfast and I get a huge smile when the lobbyist tells me they have eggs and toast. I crack open the Hinduism Times and read whats going on in Delhi. Seems like 10 minutes go by and I hear a knock at the door. Food arrives and it smells amazing. I receive 3 cups of tea, coffee, juice, eggs that appear to be white, toast, and cereal all for $1.70 US. I haven’t been full in 2 days since I left Chicago’s airport. I call down to the lobby for some water and they bring it up within seconds. As I guzzle down the cold refreshing water I notice that the water is 3 years expired. I relax open my patio to my deck and step out. I stare at the city as I ready myself to go out and do some more reconnaissances. I smell the air, I’m full I think to myself, ” Welcome To India!” With a smile on my face I head out to enjoy a culture I never thought I’d get to experience!

E4 Kalish Street ( Park is behind red signs in background)

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Mike Madsen is one of Vedavoo’s Ambassadors – stay tuned for another snip of his adventure Journal from his experience at NOLS India.

The National Outdoor Leadership School has courses around the globe focusing on delivering skills and resources for 17 outdoor activities including Backpacking, Backpacking and River Canoeing, Caving, Climbing, Fly-Fishing, Horsepacking, Lightweight Backpacking, Mountaineering, Rafting, River, River Kayaking, Sailing, Sea Kayaking, Skiing, Snowboarding, and Wilderness Medicine.

On the Rocks No. 2: Livin’ Disabled In The Vertical World

07/05/2011 On the Rocks, Vedavoo 4 comments
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As a climber, we often take for “granite” those tools that help us get to the summit or to the anchors of a climb. We often take for “granite” the skills that we must learn in order to overcome the challenges of the rock. Those tools, like our hands, our feet, and especially our brain are primarily the means to which we get to our goals. What happens however, if we are born with one hand, have a shattered ankle made up of screws and plastic, and suffer from a TBI or a traumatic brain injury. Can we still get to the summit or should we even try? That is the story of my life; born without a left hand, a shattered ankle, and was nearly killed in a car-crash in 2003 that left me with a broken back, broken neck, broken pelvis, a seatbelt that nearly cut me in half, and to top off the list a severely damaging brain injury that left my brain looking like scrambled eggs and a fractured skull.

My life as a climber did not begin until the age of 33 years old. Before climbing, I was heavily into the martial arts and body building because of my love of fitness and my love of constantly trying to look like the guys in the magazines. As I had stated, I was born without a left hand and I had to learn to live with the challenge of disability. Learning to adapt to everything was a constant battle and a never-ending journey through every aspect of my life. From the days of being a toddler and being made fun of because I was different, to the days of being a teenager and learning about the martial arts world (and still being made fun of), to the gyms across the Midwest where I trained to lift weights and adapt to the bodybuilding regiment and dieting (where being one handed challenged me every step of the way), to the rock climbing of today; my life was always a challenge of adaption and trial-and-error. My heart was committed to this idea that I could accomplish anything and everything it desired. This challenge to my mind, body, and soul were primary inspiration to the tragedies that led me to the “vertical world”.

My injuries prior to getting involved in climbing, were way to numerous and detailed to count in just a short article. The main trips to the Emergency Room were due to a shattered ankle at the age of 8, a ruptured appendix at the age of 13, a first set of broken ribs at the age of 22, and a car crash that left me in a LIFE-FLIGHT helicopter ride to Sioux Valley Hospital with a broken back, neck, and pelvis at age 27. It also delivered to me a fractured skull with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and a seatbelt that had to be removed from me at the hospital. These injuries, along with countless others, were at times life threatening and really could have put me in the ground. The recovery process from all of the damage throughout these was just as tough and painful as the injuries themselves, but quitting or giving up was never an option.

At the age of 33, I had gotten bored with life in the real world. I had gotten married to a wonderful wife and had a child, but I found I wanted more to my life than being in a stuffy gym lifting weights. I was very much afraid of heights and never dreamed of the idea of rock climbing. So out of “curiosity,” I went out on a climbing trip with Sylvan Rocks Climbing and Guiding. From my first step on the rocks, I was “hooked” on granite like a child on candy. I went up 4 routes that day with Matt, my guide. It was the most amazing time I had ever had and could not believe that with one hand and an injury list a mile long that I could accomplish what I did. My fear of heights was and still is there, but it is more of a reminder to my love of my wife and family than a fear. So my trip with Matt set off the “explosion” that ripped my granite heart and soul to pieces. It was like an awakening that my life suddenly had a new purpose. It would completely change my view of the world and the heart that I had inside of me.

Since that trip with Matt, I have moved on in the climbing world. I learn at a much slower pace than most due to the brain injury as well as the adaptation process of being one handed in the “vertical world.” I continue to learn from a great group of climbers here in Rapid City, South Dakota and continue to challenge myself on the rocks of Custer State Park and in Vedauwoo, Wyoming. Currently I am learning the art of Traditional Climbing and working on sending my first 5.10 route. My love of climbing has taken me into a world that most would never even dream of or attempt to challenge, but my heart and my damaged brain do not know these limits. Most people only see danger or their fears; I only see another challenge on the list of many I have already seen. Many would say that I am nuts or out of my mind for even attempting or doing this, but am I? Maybe I see the challenges of life by going out there and doing it instead of watching someone else do it on the TV. This is where my heart is. It lies in granite summits and limestone rocks of South Dakota and Wyoming. Like a friend of mine Collin once told me when I was getting frustrated with not learning to climb at the rate or the difficulty level that I desired:

“Climbing is about the love of climbing, not the difficulty of the route or the pictures in the magazines. It is what you make it, which makes it special.”
- Collin Beecher

article by Brian D. Anderson, Rapid City, SD

On the Rocks No. 1: Cool Man, You Can Lower

06/09/2011 On the Rocks, Vedavoo No comments
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After a solid month of rain, summer is finally here and I am beyond psyched that the weather has been good. The beer has been cold, the stories have been hysterical, and friendships (and lead heads) continue to grow stronger with each ascent. Bob Prahn, Sarah Wagner, Joy Beecher, Luke Ross and myself have been spending the last few weeks finding the toughest way to get from the bottom of a rock to the top of it just to look back and say, “cool man, you can lower!”

Here are two and a half stories that talk about friends enjoying the adrenaline, laughter, scenery and aesthetics of climbing. They are also the only two and a half stories I can think of that have language appropriate enough to be posted without being flagged as rated-R!

I am writing about this first story mostly because it was the most ridiculous thing I have seen in quite some time. Luke “Pops” Ross threw on his ever famous knee pads to do a route up at Iron Mountain. He got into a position in which he locked in a knee bar too high and was struggling to clip since his bolt was right below his chin. So Luke starts to laugh hysterically (and if you do not know Pops, then you need to understand that when he laughs climbing, he will literally shake himself off a route). He yells out with laughter and terror in his voice, “Shit, I think I’m stuck man! Shit! I don’t think I can’t clip” all while he is shaking so hard it could have registered an 8.0 or above on the Richter scale. So Luke gets the bright idea to attempt to clip by reaching behind his left leg and bring it up through (and under) his left leg and reach up to his chin so he could clip the rope (think of a pretzel). It worked, he was finally clipped in. As I was belaying Luke through all of this, I was laughing so hard at the predicament that he found himself in that I was almost crying. He finally clips the anchors, looks back and yells “cool man, you can lower!” When his feet hit the bottom, Luke says laughing, “well, that wasn’t so bad!” This was one of the dirtiest leads I think I have ever seen in my life…definitely impressive…but dirty.

The next Monday, Bob and two of our friends (Brad and Chris) decided to hit up an afternoon session up at Rushmore. Right before I started up Valdez Overhang, the two engineers and the nurse (Bob, Chris and Brad) begin a very inspiring and intellectual conversation about how “it’s not the size of the Grigri- it’s how it strokes your rope!” Right before my feet left the ground, Brad (in his southern accent) says, “brotha, your rope is totally safe right here” as he points to his Grigri that is clipped to his belay loop and conveniently located for this joke to continue. This locked a mental image in my mind that I could not climb past while I was moving through the “climbing gym of Rushmore” as Bob so pleasantly put it. I hit the last hold, clipped the anchors and yelled, “Cool man, you can lower” and as my feet touched down on the earth Bob says with a shit-eating grin on his face, “See dude- totally the stroke of the rope…not the size of the Grigri!”

After Brad and Chris pull through Valdez, Bob started making his way up. We were all giving him massive amounts of shit about how he needs to lead this thing soon when a storm came rollin’ in…Dammit! Bob hits the top and shouts, “cool man, you can lower” as the storm moved in closer. Brad and I quickly ran through this route one more time each as Bob and Chris were scrambling to pack everything up. As Brad yelled, “cool man, you can lower” lightning and thunder broke up our laughter for the time being. We pulled everything and all split for the cars just as the sky began to open up. With only two routes done as the earth got soaked, we left to do the next logical thing; we went to drink beer.

It was around a dinner table with food, beer and laughter that I was able to re-live Bob’s humiliating story of how two days before my wife ran up a 5.6 faster than me (and in more style). The relentless story of how I can make it up a 5.9/5.10 faster than a 5.6 made me want to argue with them, but sometimes the truth can humble you through laughter. The climbing week finished off as we all drank one more beer and talked about the next possible time we could all get out.
I think it is funny how five little words can bring great relief, cause a great deal of excitement and anxiety, but it can also be the source of companionship.

“Cool man, you can lower!”
As Bob has said too many times for me to count, “be safe and don’t die!” Cheers to a great climbing season!

by Vedavoo Ambassador Collin Beecher

Vedauwoo… Garden of the Earth

01/24/2011 On the Rocks, Reel Reasons, Vedavoo No comments
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I did my undergrad-four at the University of Wyoming in Laramie. At elevation 7220, you could say that the climate was unique. When I wasn’t in the classroom, or buried under a drift of snow, I loved to sneak away and into the mountains near town. Above the “summit” on Interstate 80 between Laramie and Cheyenne – there sits a beautiful outcrop of rock that emerges abruptly from the high plains. It’s almost unreal how the rocks just appear as you’re driving down the road… but there’s no question you’ll see them. THAT is Vedauwoo.

Climbers know what I’m talking about. The area / Wyoming State Park is internationally known for the rock it holds – but there’s truly something there for everyone. Hiking, camping, bouldering, and my own fave – fly fishing. It’s serene and remote feeling, and every time you turn off of the interstate, and onto the old washboard dirt road you can’t help but smile. Regardless of what you’re there for… and no matter how long it’s been since your last visit… it’s waiting, like an old friend, ready to pick up right where you left off.

The area means a lot to me… it’s strange-to-spell / impossible to first pronounce name (VEE-duh-VOO) sheds light on why. The native word translates literally to “Garden of the Earth & Rock” – and I can’t wait to visit my garden again the next time I’m near.

If you’re planning a trip out that way, stop by. You’ll be glad you did.

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Check out the Wikipedia article to learn more.

Scott Hunter is the Founder of Vedavoo, a Wyoming native, and an alumnus of the University of Wyoming.

Send Time… by Jake Whittle

10/14/2010 On the Rocks, Vedavoo No comments
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I haven’t written in a while. About 6 months to be exact, and that’s because I really haven’t done anything super amazing or note worthy. I didn’t climb that much in the summer because of a more than full time job I had, but did go on a few trips. Trips to places like Ten Sleep, Canada(got evacuated by plane because of a fire), and Salt Lake City to compete in the citizens comp for OR and took 6th.

I guess the reason I haven’t been climbing hard, is that I got so lost in trying only routes at my limit or harder. That I was missing the point of climbing, and that’s to get out and have fun. So I took a step back from Slappin’ Ze Bass, and focused more on climbing easier routes, exploring and finding new formations and areas, and developing new routes for everyone to enjoy. So these are the series of events that led up to one of my greatest finds to date, and my way of pushing climbing to new boundaries and giving back to the community.

Around mid July is when I started climbing a bit more to train for the comp at OR. That’s when Collin Beecher and I stumbled into an area that we called Vedavoo(North and South). The two areas hold at least 50 boulder problems and counting. From V0 to the possibilities of V10 or higher… All in two little areas that went unbrushed until we got there. All boulders needed to be scrubbed and loose rocks had to be knocked off. Some of the boulders were premium though! Just a little scrub and holds ticked!! And they were ready to be sent. At the Vedavoo areas, a lot of the problems are on the high scale. High being 20+ feet. This really gets into your head, and makes your foot and hand placements become perfect. One problem that was I was super psyched on was Mr. Hunter(V7-8). We made a short video of this in tribute to everything that Scott has done for us thus far.

After finding the Vedavoo area, which is just down the hill from my project Slappin’ Ze Bass, I decided to finally head across the valley to some pretty sick looking formations that everyone has looked at, but nobody has ventured over to. So Aaron Oswald and I hiked over one rainy day… What we found was… Very disappointing at first. It was just a boring slab that was nothing, but then we got into the meat and potatoes of the area. Here we found one of the coolest walls I had seen in a while!! This area was all I could think about. The only place I wanted to go. The only place that I ended up going.

So as my friends were going to Ten Sleep for 6 days at a time and sending .14a, I was at home working technically. There is a lot more that goes into developing an entire area than people think. First with about 30 possible routes, you have to figure out where to start. Where to sink your first set of anchors, and which route to scrub first. So I chose what I dubbed the Chem Wall. The Chem Wall is the biggest wall, ending with a total of 7 routes. All of the routes ended up being from .10b to probably mid .13. Developing routes, and scrubbing isn’t the only thing that you have to do. You have to make sure to scrub pretty much the entire wall. Everything must be cleaned. What you grab on the FA, probably isn’t going to be the same holds that the next person will grab. Brushing takes hours, and your knuckles become beat to shit! It’s inevitable. The next hardest part would be putting in the trail. I put in a trail straight up the hill that was about a 700 yards long. All done with a rake, and my boots. This was horrible work, but the end product turned out very nice and makes the hike much easier.

The end product(thus far) turned out very nice! As of now there is about 20 routes developed, with another 30 that need to be put in, all scattered about 7 formations. These routes range from some of the best splitter cracks in the hills, to some of the sickest face climbing we have to offer. There is routes that go at 5.6, and others that are futuristic 5.13+ sport climbs that go up steep walls on small crimps. All routes are at least 3 star routes, if not 4 or 5.

A lot of materials and the reason that kept me safe are thanks the following: ropes thanks to Sterling Ropes, hangers thanks to Mad Rock and Jeremy Huot, bolts thanks to fellow Vedavoo ambassador Mike Housiaux, and help building the trail and anything else thanks to Collin Beecher, Aaron Oswald, Josh Kelly, Bailey Mertes, Bob Prann, and any one else who I may be forgetting. And of course my lovely girlfriend Joanna who put up with me while I was out almost everyday and my Saint Bernard Guinness for hauling up a lot of the hardware. I could also never forget the man himself, Mr. Scott Hunter. He is what keeps me motivated and going at it strong. He gives me inspiration and the drive I need to continue. Thanks to all!

So, after all is said and done. The end product is an amazing new area, lots of routes both easy and futuristic projects, and one super psyched kid that is stoked to climb it all!! I am now more psyched to climb Slappin’ Ze Bass than I ever have been. I also have a lot of new hard routes up at Ferrum Bearum(new area) that I can’t wait to do, but only a couple more months to do them before the weather goes to crap. I am feeling stronger than ever on granite, and am in the right mindset to be way above my last bolt thanks to highball bouldering. With all this developing it’s a lot easier for me to figure out the sequences faster, and all the climbing and hard bouldering helps with being able to stay on during those hard cruxes.

Now with the temps dropping, it’s send time! I’ll keep you posted with all the new routes going down in the next month or two!
-Jake Whittle

The Why and Wise of Climbing

03/26/2010 On the Rocks, Vedavoo One comment
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Guys like us love to share our stories.  Too often though, the response is less than what we hope for:  “You’re nuts!”… “I could never do that!” … or our personal favorite, “I just don’t have the time to do anything like that.”

Those who truly love outdoor adventure have their reasons.  Let’s take a look at climbers. Burning muscles, blisters, raw and bleeding fingertips, and the ever present danger of falling.  Surely the reason people would even consider such an activity would be for glory.  There’s no way any right-minded person would challenge gravity unless they expected some kind of reward.  Right?  Well… just like backpackers carrying 50 pounds over 50 miles… campers cherishing the smell of smoke in their clothes… and flyfishermen wading into freezing rivers in the rain, climbers cherish their time on rock:

Jake Whittle

I started climbing when I was 3.  My dad took me out on that first climb, and over the past 15 years I’ve spent more days than I can count on the rocks, in a gym, or spending the day with fellow climbers.

Climbing is a sport that many people derive a great deal of satisfaction from, and this is why I do it.  I climb for the feeling I get when my arms are way pumped, and I’m just reaching the crux and have to figure out the sequence of it with out blowing it. When I do finally reach the top of that super hard route or problem; that I was a 100% positive I was going to peel on, I get a feeling that nothing else can give me. Its almost a sigh of relief, but at the same time I would do it ten more times if I had to. Also during that time of great difficulty I’m not thinking of anything except the next hold, even if there is something huge going on in the rest of the world…Nothing else matters at that moment, but only for that moment.

Collin Beecher

Climbing is more than numbers or bragging about, “how hard I climb” just to plaster it all over the internet or some magazine. It is about the camaraderie between friends/family as you all push yourself beyond the limits you imagined. It’s about the sweat, blood, screams, stories, laughter, campfires and beer. It’s about the relationship and respect between you and the rock when you hit that moment of truth, to choose to bail or choose to push on. It’s about that existential moment, the moment when nothing else in the world is able to touch you besides the wind; and even the wind goes unnoticed. Clarity settles in and you are in tune with your senses only to realize that you just reached the top. It’s about hearing the cheers from your friends/family echo throughout the forest as you snap back to reality.

I climb because it is beautiful. Climbing has made me a better person and I will forever have an obligation and responsibility to give back to climbing what it has given me.

If you’d like to learn more about climbing, climbs in your area, or ways you can experience the outdoors while on the rocks, please send us an email.

If you’re a climber too – we’d love to hear why YOU face the rocks.  Please share your story… there’s always someone ready to listen.

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