So… we meet again.
Since my last post I’ve been back to Bishop for another weekend of tip tenderizing (only to come away from the Mandala squat start empty handed after several heart-break attempts falling off the second to last move), a couple days at Jailhouse (this crag actually doesn’t exist), five days hanging out at Red Rocks (each day was filled with epic adventures) and now after a slideshow in Portland and one in Seattle, I’m here at good ole Smith Rocks, climbing up a storm! No literally, I was climbing through an intense hail/sleet storm on my warm-up this morning. I’ve spent like three days at home in the past three weeks… and this time there are just too many memories and too many times (bad and good… mostly good) to rehash… so you’ll just have to check out the pics and vids and fill in the blanks for yourself. One thing that I just wanna say real quick is that, there aren’t enough strong climbers traveling to go sport-climbing around the united states anymore! I mean… there are a few people, but for the most part, when strong climbers go on climbing trips these days, most go to boulder in Hueco or Bishop or Yosmite and very few go sport climbing, and the ones that do certainly aren’t coming to Smith Rocks! *Most of the strong climbers who climb at Smith are locals. The style of climbing here has certainly fallen out of vogue. Which makes me love it all the more! To Bolt or Not To Be was FAed by J. B. Tribout the year I was born… I tried it for the second time today and even though the skin on my left middle finger is worn all the way through I was still able to surprise myself by climbing all the way to the fifth draw! This route is damn hard– super technical and delicate. When the hand holds get decent (a slopey half pad crimp) they start to face the wrong way or the feet disappear… I hope I can do it before I leave! I quickly searched the internets for images of someone on To Bolt wearing some sick 80′s lycra, but no location… sad… does anyone know if that one video from the snowbird world cup that has that really famous NFL commentator announcing? Bitter?
Some panoramas to start off with…
Here’s one of Ben climbing the rope ladder in BV Canyon on the way to Epinephrine that I took back in January that I never posted before:
A couple funky ones from Jailhouse:
Here are a few our hike up to the Optimist the other day,
and one from the gorge below Smith.
Up Next are my latest flickr sets from Da House, Red Rocks and Smith.
Link to all my flickr sets. Expect another huge set to arrive on my flickr page in the next few days…
And here’s a little video of our last evening bouldering in BV Canyon. Sorry Jason…
Short Evening Sesh in BV Canyon from Ethan Pringle on Vimeo.
check out my Vimeo page for the HD Camparison! …and for this buttermilks video that I posted a few weeks ago.
One more thing before I go… my friend Dave Kimber from Seattle wanted to know what our mutual friend… lets just call him Jonny, climbed in Hueco on a recent visit… problem is Jonny doesn’t really like to talk about his climbing accpomplishments because he just a humble dude… I suggested to dave that he try finding out what Jonny sent in Hueco via the 8a.nu and when he googled 8a.nu, my log-book was the second search result!?! Now I know that my 8a page it’s the most looked at in the world, or the country, or probably even the city of San Francisco… I thought maybe Dave’s iPhone somehow knew that I was with him and modified the search results so I tried it on my friend Luke’s computer and sure enough… Same damn thing! Weird…. I don’t understand them damn compruters!
Ok, it’s freaken time to go outside! I’ve spent far too much time on my computer in the last few days.
Everyone, follow my lead!!!
*added PS.
dude…your ass
Ethan,
cool you are climbing again man. On To Bolt, I flashed that thing to the 6th bolt in 91 you punter! then flashed to the 10th bolt where a little crux stumped me for a minute or two. 2 hung that thing on my first go! I am heading up to Smith in the middle of April, hopefully you will still be around and we can hook up.
Cool Smith pics… that forgotten place. How is Darkness at Noon???? So want to try it. Worth the trip?
just watched the video. spelled my name wrong and slow moed that shit?! wtf?!
Stoked you’re healing and sending again. I’m heading over that way in a month- I’ll bring some mind numbingly bright lycra with me, XXS will fit you right?
Thanks Siegrist! Sorry for the tardy reply… When are you planning on arriving in Smith? I’ll be here next weekend to hopefully polish off Scarface… it seems more like stiff 14b then A! I dunno, lemme know what you think. I’m sure it’s on your list! I had three heartbreaker attempts today, falling off at the lip! You could probably get a no hands kneebar right before there with a pad on, but I don’t wanna be the first guy to wear a kneepad on Scarface! If you’re out here next weekend, for sure bring me some electric lycra! Something with orange please, so it matches my harness and chalkbag…
Johnny G did Alma Blanca within his first couple days. Don’t remember what else, cuz he was too busy crushing really hard everywhere he went.
Hey man, I had been an avid reader for a while, until your shoulder got effed up, so siked to see you back climbing again, keep the blogs coming!
Yo! speaking of tardy replies.. ahhem. my bad. Yeah I’m not there for a couple weeks yet unfort. Hopefully it won’t be stupid hot. Hope you send that rig man. I’ve heard rumor of sandbagging old farts who crank laps on To Bolt out there- beware! Can’t wait. What’s your early summer agenda?
Dude! I’m at Smith right now until the end of the week. Where are you these days? Good to see you’re sending again. Shoot me an email and tell me what’s up! We are taking the scenic route home via jtree and Indian creek – will our paths cross?