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 Ueli Steck: Climbing Cholatse
Video by Mountain Hardwear - Alpinists Ueli Steck and Freddie Wilkinson tackle Cholatse Alpine-style when weather takes a turn for the worse. Steck and Wilkinson climbed Cholatse to acclimatize before Steck headed up Shishapangma, of which he made an extremely quick ascent (10.5 hours). Read more here. Follow more of Steck's progress at himalayaspeed.com.  Cold - The Trailer
For the past 26 years, 16 expeditions have tried and failed to climb one of Pakistan's 8,000-meter peaks in winter. On February 2, 2011, Simone Moro, Denis Urubko, and Cory Richards became the first. Cory is now the only American to summit any 8,000-meter peak in winter. The journey nearly killed them. Cory carried a small camera and filmed the ordeal constantly. This is their story, as seen from the raw, honest perspective of Cory's lens. In festivals 2011. Read more about the ascent here.  Christian Core on Gioia (V15/16?)
Video by iClimb - More than two years ago, Italian climber Christian Core climbed one of the hardest boulder problems in the world, Gioia ("Joy" in English), and gave it a tentative grade of 8c, or V15. The problem is still unrepeated today despite being attempted by Daniel Woods, Adam Ondra, Chris Webb Parsons, Dai Koyamada, and numerous other strong climbers with many questioning if the problem might not actually be V16.  Women at Work (VI 5.12 R), Cirque of the Unclimbables, Part 1
Video by Emily Stifler - In summer 2010, Lorna Illingworth, Madaleine Sorkin, and I spent 25 days in the Cirque of the Unclimbables, Northwest Territories, Canada. Our goal was to free climb the entire 1963 Original Route on the sheer 2000' southeast face of Proboscis, and grants from the American Alpine Club encouraged us to document the adventure. The result: Women at Work (VI 5.12 R).  Jon Glassberg on Permanent Vacation (V11)
Video by Jon Glassberg and Ryan Silven - While on vacation in Colorado, Paul Robinson established Vacation (V10) in south St. Vrain, Colorado (west of Lyons, Colorado). Jon Glassberg added a low direct start, calling it Permanent Vacation (V11). See more of Glassberg's videos here.  Chris Sharma at Melloblocco 2011
Video by Nicola Noè - Chris Sharma at at Melloblocco 2011, the world's largest climbing festival. Here, he climbs Mister Manta (V9/10). A record-setting 2,600 climbers gathered in Val Masino and Val di Mello, Italy, with more than 10,000 people in the valley. Some of the strongest climbers in the world, including Chris Sharma and Adam Ondra, competed on eight difficult problems each set for the men and women. Austria's Barbera Zangerl flashed three of the problems, completing six overall. Adam Ondra of the Czech Republic and Gabriele Moroni of Italy flashed five men's problems, with Anthony Gullsten (Finland), Mauro Calibani (Italy), and Michele Caminati (Italy), each completed five. Visit planetmountain.com for a complete write-up.  "The Scene" Trailer from Chuck Fryberger
Video by Chuck Fryberger - From the director of PURE and CORE, get ready to infiltrate four of the biggest scenes in the world of climbing. Moab, Utah: a mellow desert town surrounded by massive sandstone towers, where climbers test the limits of danger while still maintaining a strict traditional ethic. Boulder, Colorado: the undisputed social hub of U.S. climbing, with sponsored athletes of every discipline living in a city packed-full of talent, competition, and progressive ideas. Innsbruck, Austria: with possibly the highest concentration of talent in the world, the competition climbers here fight not only for the tops of podiums, but also corporate sponsorships and mainstream success.  Kevin Jorgeson Bouldering at the Buttermilks
Video by Andy Mann / Black Diamond - Kevin Jorgeson reckons he has spent more time at the iconic Buttermilk boulders than any other climbing area, amassing an impressive list of first ascents and repeats, including some of the area's stoutest highballs. Out in the Buttermilks this past March, lensman Andy Mann filmed with Jorgeson for a couple of days, and edited together this video profile that captures Jorgeson's personality and passion for the art of bouldering.  Chris Schulte Bouldering in Fontainebleau
Video by Black Diamond - Chris Schulte has been over in Europe for most of 2011, bouldering in France and Switzerland. Here is the video he put together from his stay in Fontainbleau that does a great job of capturing the subtle technique adjustments Font requires. Boulders include Partage (V12) and Duel (V11)  Dai Koyamada on Agartha (V15)
Video by Dai Koyamada - Dai Koyamada has made the first ascent of Agartha at Toyota in Japan on April 12, suggesting V14 for the problem. This is only one of many Koyamada first ascents, including The Wheel of Life (V15/16, Grampians, Australia), Calm (V15, Japan), Epitaph (V15, Japan), and Hydrangea (V15, Japan). He's also made second ascents of many notable problems and routes, including Big Paw (V15, Chironico, Switzerland) and Story of Two Worlds (V15, Cresciano, Switzerland).  Boulder World Cup 2011 Report #1: Milan, Italy
Video by Udo Neumann - The 2011 Bouldering World Cup season launched in Milan, Italy, in mid-April. Austria was well represented at the podium, with Kilian Fischhuber taking first and Anna Stohr and Jakob Schubert each placing second. Korea's Kim Jain won the women's division, with Melissa La Neve of France and Russian Rustam Gelmanov medaling with bronze. Americans Alex Puccio and Alex Johnson placed sixth and eighth, respectively, in women's finals. Read more here.  Keller Rinaudo on God's Own Stone (5.14a)
Video by Keller Rinaudo - Keller Rinaudo climbs God's Own Stone (5.14a) at the Gold Coast, Red River Gorge, Kentucky. This striking, 70-foot route was put up in 2003 by Ben Cassel. It shares a start with Black Gold (5.13c) but trends right after the second bolt. Paige Claassen recently made the first female ascent of this route (November 2010).  Adam Ondra Working La Planta de Shiva (5.15b)
Adam Ondra made headlines again this week with another potential 5.15b in Spain. La Planta de Shiva links two existing hard routes into one 150-foot line. This route sits near Chilam Balam at Villanueva del Rosario. Be sure to pick up the next issue of Urban Climber (May 2011, #48), on sale in mid-May, to read a full-length feature interview with Ondra!  Committed: A Long Walk to Solid Rock
Video by Mark and Janelle Smiley - Charlotte Dome gets bigger and bigger the closer you get. It is really impressive. We scrambled across the 20- to 30-degree granite slabs at its base and made our way to the toe of the 1,300-foot South Face. Fourth-classing up the first three pitches brought us to a small ledge where we roped up. The climbing on this dome is really amazing. Not a loose rock on it, many different features to climb on, from finger cracks, to open chimneys, to rock horns that beg to grabbed hold of... it has it all. And, keeping it at a 5.8 rating (old school 5.7), the pitches go by rather quickly. Read more at smileysproject.com.  Matt Wilder and Ethan Pringle in Fontainebleau
Video by Matt Wilder and Ethan Pringle - Matt Wilder and Ethan Pringle spent time bouldering in Switzerland and Fontainebleau, France, in March, chasing good temps and dry rock. After climbing Frank's Wild Years (V12) in Cresciano, Switzerland, it rained for the next three days straight. Wilder and Pringle headed to Font for better conditions. They get on Fata Morgana (V11), De la Terre a la Lune (V10), Le Beaux Quartiers (V11), and Gecko (V12).  Chris Sharma on First Round First Minute
Video by Brett Lowell - On April 19, 2011, Chris Sharma made the first ascent of his longtime project First Round First Minute, in Margalef, Spain, after three years and more than 50 attempts. This clip shows him trying the route last year. Adapted from the 2010 REEL ROCK Film Tour. Available at Big UP Productions and Sender Films websites. Read more about his ascent here.  Pirmin Birtle Climbs Appel au Sodom (5.14b)
Video by Vivi Monteiro and Nils Favre - Appel au Sodom (5.14b) is a 45-degree traverse in a 45-degree overhang on really outstanding limestone. Crimps and slopers mixed up with pockets and monster jugs. Two 5.12c sections with a moderate rest point in between (yes, it's better having a knee pad), followed by some potential drop out moves on the very top. It’s easier now, having a video, but the sequences are pretty tricky. First ascentionist Lionel Clerc did it without any hooking. Chapeau!  The Schengen Files - Official Trailer
Video by Paul Robinson - "The Schengen Files" is a movie about my most recent trip to Europe. During the first three months of 2011, I was fortunate enough to climb in both Fontainbleau, France, and Ticino, Switzerland. This video will document some of the hardest climbs I accomplished. The video is planned to premiere later this summer after it has been edited all together. This video is about the purity of climbing, the high level of psych that I have for climbing at my limit, as well as the amazing rock that these areas have.  Enzo Oddo: The First Time
Video by Prana Living - Check out this video of 16-year-old climbing prodigy, Enzo Oddo, prAna's youngest ambassador. He hails from Nice, France and, prior to the trip he took this February to Bishop, California, he had never been on a trip for the sole purpose of bouldering. Despite the foreign terrain and tough climbs, Oddo made the fourth-ever full ascent of the Bishop highball, Ambrosia. He also became the third person ever to climb another one of the area’s infamous highballs, Buttermilk.  Adam Ondra on Chilam Balam (5.15b)
Video by Sáltatela - Adam Ondra climbs the first section of Chilam Balam (5.15b) at the Villanueva del Rosario in Spain. Ondra took three days to work this 270-foot, 22-bolt route. This is the route's first confirmed ascent, as Spaniard Bernabé Fernández's ascent was never confirmed in 2003. Read more here. |
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