What once started as a grassroots gathering of core climbers has grown over the past decade into one of the most well-executed climber fundraising events in the country. The money raised from the event goes directly back into the Park in the form of new fixed hardware and infrastructure such as trails, improved parking, and access. This year, over 20,000 dollars was raised thanks to attendees and sponsors.

One of these years I will actually make it out there to climb at that place!

An experienced climber, Mason Robison was leading the 27th pitch of the 3,000-foot granite wall at about 9 a.m., when a large rock flake holding a piece of safety gear broke loose. The rock gave way while Robison, 38, was climbing at 2,300 feet above the monolith’s base, and severed a rope that was fastening him to a belay station manned by his climbing partner. He fell past the station before a haul rope caught him and seized the fall, but the injuries were fatal.

SuperTopo has a good thread about the situation as well.

Woods was fresh off doing the FA of a new problem called The Purge in Tickland Elkland outside Estes Park, CO.  On his 8a scorecard he calls this proposed V14 “the full package line” and notes that he had to climb on it at night to get better conditions.

Update:  More on the day at Paul’s blog

All the latest videos can be found here, but here are the top 5 highest rated videos from the past week:

• On The ARk
• Verdon Dreaming: Monique Forestier Climbing Tom et je Ris (5.14a)
• Mason Earle's FA Of Real Talk (5.13+), Lower Mill Creek
• 2013 Bouldering World Cup Highlights – Kitzbühel
• Chasin' The Rubbish 2.0 In Fontainebleau, France

Men’s Qualifiers – Friday, 4 AM EDT

Women’s Qualifiers – Friday, 9:30 AM EDT

Semi-finals – Saturday, 6:30 AM EDT

Finals – Saturday, 1:30 PM EDT

For various reasons I’ve had some free time on my hands the past couple of months, so when Jon Glassberg mentioned to me that he was going to central Washington at the end of April to check out the bouldering at places like Leavenworth, Index and Gold Bar, I jokingly mentioned that I should go with him.  One thing led to another and at the end of April there I was, checking out the bouldering in places like Leavenworth, Index and Gold Bar.

Leavenworth felt like a bit of a mini-Yosemite with coarse granite boulders lining the two river canyons leading out of town.  Over on the other side of Steven’s Pass, Index and Gold Bar had a totally different feel due to the differing climate and the finer grained granite.  Access issues have put the main boulders in Gold Bar a healthy 2.5+ mile hike from the parking lot so we never checked those out, but by all accounts they are pretty amazing.

Coming shortly after my first visit to Joe’s Valley, the climbing in these Washington areas could not have been more different.  Instead of desert there were alpine forests that ranged from bone dry to tropical.  Whereas Joe’s Valley’s sandstone creates what in many ways is the ultimate “vacation” bouldering area due to the relatively straightforward, almost gym-like style, the granite bouldering in central Washington required much more subtlety and, frankly, a lot more effort from yours truly to figure out.

In the end I was able to re-learn how to climb on granite and send a handful of problems that were classic, hard or some combination of the two.  As a bonus, it only cost me one sprained knee, five split tips and one tweaked pulley.  A small price to pay I say¹.

While it may have taken me a while to get adapted to the climbing we were doing, the same cannot be said for Jon.  Watching him climb on this trip was an invaluable learning experience for me.  Climbing 8 out of 9 days, Jon went on a rampage of ruthless efficiency, climbing just about every problem he tried in a small handful of tries.  No wasted effort.   No punting on topouts.  Just another stop on the World Compression Tour 2013™, coming soon to a bouldering area near you.

Here are a few pictures from the trip as well as a pair of videos we made:

After decades of work, the Access Fund received notice yesterday from National Park Service (NPS) that the agency has issued final national policy authorizing fixed anchors in wilderness. This policy—Director’s Order #41—affects many of the country’s most important climbing areas such as Yosemite, Grand Teton, Zion, Joshua Tree, and Canyonlands National Parks.

In my head I was saying “you won one, you did it”. At the top of the boulder I just started screaming. “YES”, “YES” is all that came out while fist pumping with one hand and locking off with the other. People tell me it’s moments like that in which I’ll remember forever. I can tell you that I won’t be forgetting that moment in many years to come.

Congrats to Sean, America’s adopted comp climbing son!

On April 17, 2013, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) in Idaho announced that all rock climbing activity will be banned on its 400-acre portion of the Castle Rocks Interagency Recreation Area, citing the need to protect cultural resources.

…snip…

The BLM’s decision to ignore the same climbing management plan it helped create is totally unnecessary and unjustified. The Access Fund, Boise Climbers Alliance, Eastern Idaho Climbers Coalition, and the American Alpine Club are appealing BLM’s April 17th decision, but we need your help!