Call It Good

steepmedia.com

How does a climber change in the course of a year? That’s the premise behind the film Call It What You Want (£19.99, steepmedia.com), which follows a “year in the life” of the fresh-faced but ballsy George Ullrich as he throws himself against mean climbs in the UK, California, and Spain. At one point, we see the tousle-haired Ullrich skyhooking and cable-saging his way up the Bachar-Yerian (5.11c R) on the Medlicott Dome, Tuolumne Meadows—while skipping all the bolts except the last one (as well as bolts for belay): “I did it for fun,” Ullrich explains. That same motivation fuels him while highballing Bishop’s Grandpa Peabody, new routing 5.12-plus in the Needles, and goofing off in the airport (i.e. rolling around on the floor in his sleeping bag). This topnotch film tracks the evolution of Ullrich’s climbing skills and philosophy, complementing it with insightful interviews from such moguls as Ron Kauk, John Dunne, John Bachar, and more.

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