Red Cliff / Happiest Place On Earth / Foolish Faces

Night one: We arrive in Red-Cliff and meet up with several fool-faces who are drinking boxed wine, psyched on PBR, and ecstatic that we are all enjoying red-cliff together... could this go awry?

NO!!!! We awoke to nice cool conditions and no hangover and EXTREME PSYCHE from Josh (below) and almost everyone in attendance!!!! (notice the happiest place on earth hat!) Most of the crew started out in the main cluster while I laid on a pad and napped... it was about 1000 degrees above normal climbing psyche temps and I wasn't about to waste skin.

Later in the afternoon, we headed to the aircraft carrier boulder where everyone was psyched on different lines... Diggs spent some time with "Star Crossed Lovers" while Annie and I messed with "Romeo" and Matt Battaglia worked "Mercucio" (a new line put up by Merc.)

While Riley (dog) slept, Annie, Matt, and myself enjoyed sends. (diggs got distracted and only tried star-crossed twice) Matt is a beast. I don't know if you know that. Here is his glamour shot by yours truly.

He put up a problem a while back called "Dem Apples". It is about V9 and on the way to the Aircraft Carrier boulder.

While he went for the Media send, I was fortunate enough to shoot these stills...

The problem is obviously very tall, but the crux is very low, and I'm psyched to try the problem the next time I am in Red Cliff!

Nice Work Matt!

Sunday morning dawned waaaayyyyy too early, and diggs and I arose to try our projects for the weekend. (Merc insisted on doing foolish face training and pretending to be a ninja)

I worked "Immortality" while it lay in the shade, and had the good company of Rich and other foolfaces. I stuck the pinch (pictured) which is a new high-point, but didn't get it quite right which led to not sending.

Diggs put the burl down on "Return of the Jedi" and although working through all the moves did not put up a send. (Damn Warm Red Cliff)

By midday Sunday, the crew was WIPED OUT!!!! It was time for heading home / hanging out by the creek drinking beers for several hours.

While most of us opted for the latter, some headed back. Either way, I think we would all agree, this was one heck of a fun red-cliff weekend!!!

Annie, pictured below playing with a "Callipitter", was on hand for the nonsense, and we're glad you came lady!

Thanks to all the fool-faces who came out and made this one of the most fun trips of the summer! You all ROCK!!!!!

Is anyone up for Rocky camping / climbing next weekend?

Mid-Week Lower Chaos

Good news friends! Lower Chaos is good to go. With the exception of the warm-up boulder, everything has been dug out or melted out and is prime.

There is probably 12 feet of snow still up against the warm-up and potato chip. Anyone that psyched to dig? Rich and I warmed up on this Arete to the left of "Deep Puddle Dynamics". After doing some research, I can't figure out the name or grade, but it's probably V4 or V5-ish and REALLY FUN climbing.

I'm happy to say we both sent.

We spent a few frustrated minutes on Gang Bang Arete before heading down to Mckayla for Rich to give it some goes.

I did the top again while Rich messed with the first move (crux). He was generating up to the hold no problem by the end, and just didn't have the skin to hold on. Looks like that one will go in short order.

Way better than a day at work, and psyched alpine season is on! If anyone knows the name of that Arete, please share! I needs to know.

Where have I been?

So, it's been mostly crazy lately in my world. Lots of work punctuated by "f-around as hard as you can" sessions! It's all been one hell of a great time though!

Since last post, I have visited the "Gateway to the West". Ahh yes. That wonderful city of St. Louis!!!! I had a great time with my old friends Kevin Mech and Andy Elliott as we ran all over the place drinking beers, hanging out, and just enjoying ourselves as much as the heat and humidity would allow.

We visited the Budweiser brewery, which was pretty damn impressive, and had a sampled beers that we have all had several times over. (worth it) As you can see in the photos, we all developed the "I'm having fun" face at some point in our time of being on the ham-side of the camera.

I had the great pleasure of going to a Cardinals game with Kevin and Andy (above) where we drank beers, roamed around, and tried not to get my ass kicked for wearing a Rockies Jersey. (at least it was Matt Holliday's Jersey...he now plays for St. Louis)

Although I got flipped PLENTY of shit for the Jersey, we had a great time and made it out alive. I've been getting out climbing lately as well! (psyched X10 if you can't tell). I've been to rocky and Evans already this season, as well as several B-Side areas throughout the state. It was super cool to get up to Emerald Lake early and work Whispers of Wisdom and Real Large while Diggs took down "The End" in quick order. Alpine season has arrived friends, and it's just as good as we all remember! Unfortunately, no sends were recorded for me at Rocky, but lots of progress on lines I'm interested in.

I got out to Evans with Lucas and Rylan and tried Silverback quite a bit before realizing I was horribly outmatched! The boulder / Teva Games crew was on hand at the Dali boulder making it a fun day. (wink, wink, nudge-nudge for those of you in the know) As I mentioned... there are some incredible B-Side areas that are PRIME right now. I've been up to Three Sisters with Diggs and other crews lately, and had great sessions and enjoyed sends every time. This is Rich on "Your Orders" which is MUST DO for the area. I'm happy to report he sent, and I encourage you to go to this incredible area if you have never been. (hell, invite me and I'll give you a tour!) What else in CO is looking good right now? Well... we THOUGHT Newlin Creek. However, it is sweaty at best, and swimming in a 300LB woman's taint the rest of the time.

Thomas, T.J. and I still had a great time warming up on Tojo Rising and Riders on the Storm before heading over to Megaladon to try our luck. No sendingness due to it being V7 / V11, but still a great time. You can see my RAGE face below at trying to best this beast. After working at Megaladon, we went down to the Nickness boulder where T.J. tried William Shatner while Thomas and I worked the stand start to the Nickness.

So yea. Busyness defines my life lately. Thanks to everyone who has invited me to sessions, and tolerates my nonsense!

One last thing: Can anyone tell me how to clean out my camera properly? I've tried wiping the lense (both sides) with the special cloth, and blowing off the mirror, but I still have the nastiness below showing up in even photos. Any ideas on how to clean?

Thanks for checking my blog friends!

Last Sunday Session...

Sunday sessions seem to be a bit of a trend lately...

LAST weekend, diggs and I had the pleasure of joining Lucas, Asher, and Mercedes for a nice session in boulder canyon.

I sent "standard bulge" in quick order, and diggs messed with it a bit before rolling an ankle coming off.

I'm really psyched on "The Citadel" (?) which is just to the right of this photo. SO close! Don't know grade, but probably like 7 or 8. I'd be psyched to get back up soon and send!

Hope you're all getting out and wrecking skin! ...Alpine season is just around the corner!

Sunday Session

YAY FOR SPRING!

Thanks to whoever sent the memo letting spring know it was long overdue! The weather today was amazing, and Matt and I took advantage of it and headed out to Three Sisters to get in an afternoon session.

amazing shot of a great warm up by Situner

Matt is super close to sending "The Pearl". He found himself precariously perched on the the top out slab at least three times today. It's only a matter of time...

My project of the day was "Your Orders". I too was shut down despite reaching the "it's over" jug... Send photos next time...

Hope everyone is enjoying Spring!

DBC Comp Photos

Oh man. It was rad.

If you were unable to make the DBC comp this past Saturday, you missed a fantastic time! I shot photos like crazy, and here are a few of the ones I liked the most. Thanks to Rhino for sponsoring and hooking up the CRAZY lighting!!!

Full Comp Results can be found at http://www.denverboulderingclub.com/

There are MANY MANY more photos to be seen, so if you were competing or in attendance, check out situner.shutterfly.com for the full roll. Surely you were caught by the lens at some point!

Big thank you to Lee, Kevin, Thomas, and TJ for putting on the comp as well as the volunteers that showed up to make it happen!

DBC Comp This Weekend

Oh yes. Be there.

I'm super psyched to be a very small part of this, and all you foolfaces should show up and pull down! (or sideways, or however your preferred method of pulling gets you through the problems)

Plus you get beer, and a screening of CORE. Just for you.

Come on. Organizing your stamp collection can totally wait till next weekend. Your mom said.

See you there!