Rock Climbing with Rob Pizem

Photographers: What I learn from them. Keith Ladzinski

2013-05-23T09:14:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

I will talk about my time (way back when) with Keith Ladzinski. I met him through my recent climbing partner at the time, Mike Anderson. Mike and I had met in St. George having both been rained out of climbing big walls in Zion and decided that we should get out and climb sometime. Well, that relationship worked out really well for both of us to climb a lot and do some amazing routes together.

Anyway, since Mike lived in Colorado Springs at the time and happened to know this guy named Keith who shot photos, we ended having him join us quite a bit. Keith was awesome to travel with because he had some incredible stories to tell. He is a genuine storyteller and can weave a tale so perfectly that I always awaited our time together. As for his shooting ability, yeah he was good. really good. I never left a shoot with him wondering if he "got it." It was more of a question of when would I see the magic that he was able to capture.

He did have his learning curve though. The initial shoots would kind of be a junk show. Slow jugging, lots of time spent rigging , poor rope work, and he often had all kinds of gadgets hanging off him, stuffed into his pockets or falling out. It was great though.

What I learned from "dot com," as that became his nickname is that he was there to take care of business. I like that about Keith. It is guaranteed that you will get an amazing photo when I with him. It is also guaranteed that he will stop at no end to get that photo!

It's been a while since we have shot or hung out because he is mega world traveler these days but I would love to grace his camera sometime soon.

Thanks Keith and keep killing it behind the lens!

Back in the day with Mike Anserson and Dan Dewell

Penitente

The Dunn Route

Something Funny

2013-05-21T08:11:00.003-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

This is Joshua Tree Climbing Salve. Thanks SCARPA

It seems that I am always hiking uphill with a heavy pack!

Unaweep and Ben going for the send on Beam Me Down.

I am so glad that this is finally over!!

The Waiting Game

2013-05-21T08:01:00.002-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

The last two weeks I have been getting ready for the coming of my second son. That has meant getting the diapers and clothes and crib ready. That has meant preparing the infant car seat and making sure that we have bottles for feeding and bibs for eating. That has meant that I have been closer to home, too. I have taken care of the swamp cooler on the house, cut the grass, burned lots of brush from the yard and attempted to weed the beds at the front of the house.

Other than my training sessions before work, climbing has been limited to two photo shoots. That is OK, because I have needed a break period to prevent injuries and a general rest for my body. That doesn't mean that I have not been itching to get after it, not all all. I have taken time to sit down and plan some mini adventures over a few long weekends. I will head up into the alpine zone and climb some granite, and as usual, I will attempt to climb new sandstone cracks around the Colorado Plateau. I am also looking forward to a trip to South America next year. (I cross my fingers to make this one happen)

With my school district lengthening the school year and with my growing family, it is beginning to be a bit more challenging to get out. I have invested in a Treadwall, which I plan to use to make sure that I maintain and progress in my climbing. Since I only have a short time to train, this is certainly the best tool in the world to have sitting in my garage. It will be set a little steeper than I would like (due to the height of my ceiling) and I don't own any holds yet, but in the end it will help me to perform when I need to on the real rock outside.

I have always said that I am not a fan of training, but I am fan of how makes me perform. Specific training over time that is directed at specific areas will always prove to be better than just going to the gym and messing around. I have spent the last (nearly) ten years working on figuring it out. Now, I will finally have the final tool to finish understanding the process.

Until then, I will anxiously await my son.

Photographers: What I learn from them.

2013-05-15T12:41:00.003-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

So over the last few weeks, I have chipped some time out of my already busy schedule to work with a few photographers. For me I am always trying to learn from them and to find out what they are looking for in a photo, so that I can speed up the process of the shoot. If I know what they are looking for then I can help create that image and story that they are looking to tell.

I have learned over the years that every photographer is attempting to either catch that unique or special moment (be it a first ascent or an emotion) or attempting to tell a story in the image. The best photos are ones that make you think, reflect upon your own life, inspire you to go above and beyond or create emotion.

I love to be in a great photo and have been lucky to have worked with some of the best over the past 10 years.

Below are some from a guy that I just worked with for the first time. His name is Robb Reece. An former Olympic level athlete, now photographer and dad. Other than scaring the heck out of him on a 600ft tall wall, he has been able to capture some great moments in just a short amount of time. I look forward to more shoots with him.

The next photographer is Ken Redding. He has been shooting for over thirty years and it shows. He knows exactly the shot that he is looking for and has the ability to then make that shot happen. I was really impressed with his ideas and images right off the bat.

In the next few posts, I will share what I have learned from other photographers that I have worked with.

Hikes Around Grand Junction

2013-05-14T11:57:00.003-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

A hike in Colorado National Monument with my students.

The first pool.

Hiking to the first waterfall.

Sitting on top of the first waterfall and scoping the world.

The first waterfall.

Pizem Slide Show Tonight! May 14 at 7pm Summit Canyon Mountaineering in Grand Junction, CO)

2013-05-14T09:12:00.002-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!
piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Come for some stories and the dirt on what new routing is all about! I will be featuring desert first free ascents and desert first ascents that I have been apart of of the last few years.

Get some goodies too.

Top of Ottos route on a cold winter day!

Maximum Climbing Book Review

2013-05-09T14:52:00.000-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Book Review: Maximum Climbing by Eric Horst

When I first read the title Maximum Climbing, it made me want to read it cover to cover as soon as I had it in my hands. Eric Horst, who I consider a climbing guru has been climbing for over thirty years and who has trained many a successful climber, has written yet another reference book for climbing that can take you to the next level.

Initially, I thought that it would be a training book that would focus more on the physical aspects of climbing, but as I dove deeper into the pages, I realized that this text was all about successfully maximizing your brain use throughout the whole process of climbing, training and even life!

Horst breaks the book down into three main parts (I have paraphrased):

1. Your brain,

2. How to develop your brain,

3. Programs of brain training techniques to adopt and adapt for your own life.

Each portion offers tips/strategies for the reader to include in not only their daily lives, but especially into their climbing lives. For me, I was struck with an inner happiness that I was doing what Horst has suggested in order to live a happier life and reach my personal potential as a climber.

There are plenty of technical terms in part 1 which strengthen and detract. I know many climbers who just want the information in layman’s terms rather than the technical jargon. They trust that the author has done their homework. I am one of those guys who appreciates the technical jargon and who will use it later in life as inquiring minds want to know the why behind what we should be doing.

Part 2 is the meat of the text and should be highlighted and reread often. The topics range from self-awareness, to goal setting, to improving your concentration and focus. For many people the managing fear and behavior modification will be sections that you reread and practice over and over.

Part 3 is the chapter that brings it all together. After reading it and reflecting upon the way that I approach my climbing and life, I realized that I can find many parallels in what Horst is saying in my own life. By using goal setting, visualization before and after climbing, and having a positive mental outlook not only about sending a route, but in life you can refocus, eliminate waste and negative feelings and focus all of your mental energy on your chosen route or path.

The message of the book is simple is simple; the challenge is to live and breathe it. Horst mentions those climbers who have accomplished great things including his conversations with Todd Skinner and makes the realization that Todd’s greatness came from the way he approached life, not that he was an extraordinary athlete by birth.

In conclusion, there are three factors that make a great climber. In no particular order, I believe that there is the physical, mental and technical aspect. By not addressing all three, a climber will never reach their personal limit. This book offers the power of understanding how to harness your mental game and take it to a new level.

Last Days of Rowan as an Only Child!

2013-05-03T12:14:00.000-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

We met up with friends putting in the river to float a stretch of the Colorado called Westwater. Rowan enjoyed throwing rocks and chasing dogs.

Yes he got dirty and muddy as was planned!

The we went to check out a preschool program called the River Canyon School. That is where we saw our first Maypole and live chicken. We made candles and asteroid toys and paper airplanes.

I even played along and helped string up the Maypole. We finished the day with a picnic in the park and a BBQ.

New Route! Maroon 5

2013-05-02T13:54:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Here is the the first part of my new route.
The first pitch (yes, there are two with a short traverse in between them). It was a little bit dirty and really soft at the bottom, but it cleaned up after the initial attempt. You could say that the belayer needed a helmet on and had to be ready to run from exploding and falling rock! It takes gear to 3 inches and has hand jams with a few finger locks. Nothing spectacular, but it gets you to the money pitch. you rap off a tree and it goes at 5.9.

Pitch 2 is the money. It starts with tips and sporty climbing that will have you falling below your belayer at about 8ft off the deck. Fortunately there is open space to fall into. The first moves are a bit committing and the gear feels sketchy (one .3 cam) but can be done without worry's. Then it changes into .4, .5, .75, 1 inch finger locking and lie backing. When you get to the roof, it quickly goes from 2 inch gear to baggy 3's. After that it is a easy tromp up the head wall and into the off width.

I really wanted this roof section to be .75's cause they are really hard for me but, it was nice to have cruiser big hands to deal with rather than a 13+ crux of impossible .75 inch jamming.

Thanks to Ben and Mayan for the help and willingness to entertain my new routing fever!

Heading back at 6am for some sending and photos with Jeremiah and Mayan!

Here Mayan is getting ready to check out the big hands roof.

Washer Woman Tower

2013-04-22T10:14:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Tyson getting his gear ready for the climb. Last year during the Red Rock Rendezvous, I was auctioned off as a fundraiser for the American Alpine Club.
He wanted to do his first tower in the desert and I wanted to provide that experience. It took over a year to connect but, this weekend we came, we saw and we stood on the summit of Washer Woman via the In Search of Suds route. Great job Tyson!!

Hiking up in the rain. Washer Woman (has the hole through it) is on the right and Monster Tower is on the left. They range in height from 600ish ft to 700ish ft tall

Looking at fossils on the way up the trail.

It was storming that day but I had a good feeling that it would blow on through and we would enjoy perfect temps and dry rock.

My new Arcteryx back pack. Muira 45 is the bomb and opens up completely to easily get everything out! Huge zippers and a narrow profile make this great to carry and with its new even tougher material, it holds up to me dragging up up walls to drill or to just go cragging!

Got to carry a B-DRY with me on days where it might rain. Totally water proof and tiny. What else do you need in a rain jacket?

Tyson: getting ready to slay the beast.

Dave belaying and Tyson heading over to the beginning of the route. It starts with two pitch of dihedral climbing. It can be awkward at times but there are tons of cracks and face holds to piece together to make it climbable!

Crux of pitch one a hand crack in the dihedral that gets a little funky. The foot is just too high to stand on and you feel really insecure. Tyson made quick work of it after his nerves settled down.

Over the crux.

At the anchor and on his way!

A stemming machine!

No hands rest, now that is good beta!

Finishing pitch 2.

At the end of pitch three you get exposed really quickly.

Monster tower in the background along with Indian Creek and the Colorado River way down below. The white rim is the white rock on the bottom right of the photo.

Tyson could not wait to lead the last pitch up the head of the washer woman. He was composed and settled and aced it on sight!!! Mike B watching overhead and supporting from above.

Victory V at the top of his first tower!

Monster tower is a few feet taller and can be done with washer woman the same day.

Dave and Tyson enjoying the summit.

The VERY memorable rappel back to the ground. You are immediately exposed and hanging in mid air!

2013 Red Rock Rendezvous Wrap Up

2013-04-17T14:43:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

The 10th anniversary of the Red Rock Rendezvous was a great success. SCARPA sent me to teach clinics on the topic of Introduction to Traditional Climbing and my two 8 hour sessions were full of questions answers and plugging gear into deep and dark cracks.

Two full clinics wore me out and I was able to relax in the perfect temperatures at the campground. There were many great vendors of food, climbing, running and biking equipment. There was a really positive and friendly vibe throughout the entire weekend where people shared their excitement for just being there.

I bumped into a few people from Cleveland, Ohio (where I lived until I was 18). It is great to see that climbing is growing in so many places where there is little to no rock nearby. Gyms have been such a wonderful way for people to get to know the sport and eventually get them outside to experience it in all of its glory.

I will be there next year, so mark the dates and put it on your schedule to see, meet and take lessons with the pros and your friends in a perfect setting.

Athlete introductions

Slack lining, bouldering comps, autographs, shoe demos free goodies and raffles. This place rocks!

Early morning sunrise on Mt. Wilson

Shingo (SCARPA athlete and bad a$$)) telling another SCARPA customer the real deal about shoes.

My group hiking to the clinic location

Plugging in some gear after our discussion

An all tricam anchor. Very proud.

Saturday's group! Thanks for coming guys. You were great!

Sundays group, thanks for coming guys. We learned a lot.

The bouldering wall and comp. The grassy field was packed as they threw themselves up the wall. It was awesome to see everyone going big! There were a few flappers after this one.

May 1st Slide Show at Colorado Mesa University

2013-04-17T14:07:00.000-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Check out the link below for my May 1st slide show on Cuban rock climbing!
The show starts at 7pm and will blow your mind! (I hope.)

http://www.coloradomesa.edu/op/wnw.html

I will be raffling off an Arcteryx Atom Jacket and one pair of SCARPA climbing shoes.
All proceeds will go to the Western Colorado Climbers Coalition.

The Exponential Challenge Route List (for those who must know what we climbed)

2013-04-10T10:58:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

The 2013 Spring Break Exponential Challenge Route List

Day One: Free an Aid Line on a Desert Tower Day Rough Canyon Grand Junction, Colorado

· FFA of Tabeguache Tower in Rough Canyon 5.12 3 pitches

Day Two: 2 Longer Multi-pitch Routes Day in Unaweep Canyon Grand Junction, Colorado

· Echoes 5.12+

· Sweet Sunday Serenade 5.9

Day Three: 4 Tower Day in Colorado National Monument Grand Junction, Colorado

· Long Dong on Kissing Couple 5.11

· Otto’s Route on Independence Monument 5.5

· Medicine Man on Sentinel Spire 5.12

· Defecating Monk on Remnants Tower 5.7

Day Four: 8 Desert Cracks Day at Escalante Canyon Delta, Colorado

· Short Corner 5.10

· Leaning Corner 5.10

· The Curve 5.11

· Red Cam Lieback 5.10

· Big Hands Roof 5.11

· Fork It 5.11

· Some Short Hands 5.9

· Zig-Zag 5.11

· *Frank Zappa Appreciation Society 5.13+ Ben tried this once and it was a bad idea!)

Day Five: 16 Rifle Routes Day Rifle, Colorado

· Nessum Dorma 5.10

· Pellet Gun 5.10

· Primer 5.11

· Fire Arms 5.12

· Return to Sender 5.12

· Pinchfest 5.12

· Choss Family 5.11

· 80 feet of Meat 5.10

· Cold Cuts 5.10

· Crime and Punishment 5.12

· Jailbait 5.11

· Steroid Power 5.11

· Cardinal Sin 5.12

· Fistful of Dollars 5.11

· Rehabilitator 5.11

· Bottom Feeder 5.11

Day 6: 32 Routes in Clear Creek Canyon Golden, Colorado

· Snoopy 5.9

· Lil Dog 5.11

· Unknown 5.9

· Dog Breath 5.10

· Hot Dog 5.11

· Fiddler on the Woof 5.12

· Big Dog 5.12

· Dog Run 5.12

· Powertrip 5.12

· Hazardous Waste 5.11

· Anarchy Rules 5.12

· Monkey Wrench 5.11

· Maestro 5.12

· Anarchitect 5.12

· Question Authority 5.12

· Halloween 5.9

· Stone Free 5.11

· Reefer Madness 5.11

· Centerfold 5.10

· Curvaceous 5.11

· Wet Dream 5.12

· Recovery 5.10

· Foxy 5.10

· Little Kitten 5.10

· Overpass 5.11

· Passing Lane 5.9

· Deuces Wild 5.10

· Via Comatose Amigo 5.10

· People’s Choice 5.10

· Nickels and Dimes 5.9

· Roadkill 5.10

· Road Warrior 5.12

Day 7: 64 Routes at Shelf Road Canon City, Colorado

· Spray Load 5.10

· Fast Food Nation 5.11

· Slicer 5.10

· Barbed Wire Love 5.10

· Crynoid Corner 5.7

· Illegal Smile 5.11

· Three-Quarter Ton 5.10

· The Alignment 5.10

· Misalignment 5.11

· Blackman’s Burdon 5.10

· Banana Split 5.10

· Cellulite Corner 5.9

· The Killer Toupee 5.10

· Cactus Pod 5.10

· Awesome Offwidthin 5.10

· Axis of Evil 5.10

· Gabby 5.10

· Glass Babies 5.10

· Muscle Beach 5.11

· Wadsworth Boulevard 5.10

· Third Stage 5.10

· Red Giant 5.9

· Just Thesenga It 5.11

· Dihedrus 5.10

· Thumbs Up 5.10

· Hey Pueblo Gringo, Got a Hanger? 5.10

· Kalahari Sidewinder 5.8

· Christmas Tree 5.10

· Kodachrome 5.10

· Turkey’s Beak 5.10

· Bur-Har-Bur 5.9

· Unshelfish 5.10

· Alexi’s Climb 5.5

· Ian’s Climb 5.7

· Red Eclipse 5.10

· Solar E-clips 5.9

· Beef Cake Formula 5.8

· Amiga 5.10 Ol’ Four Seven 5.9

· You show Me Your Heavy Weapon, I’ll Show You Mine 5.7

· Black Slabbeth 5.9

· Totally Blonde 5.10

· Quarterback 5.10

· Candy for Big Kids 5.10

· Oscar de la Cholla 5.9

· Too Much Beef Not Enough Meat 5.9

· Risky Business 5.9

· La Temperatura de Shelf 5.10

· Half Breed 5.10

· The Stand 5.10

· Crimpson Candy 5.10

· Cheeseburger in Paradise 5.10

· Raven 5.9

· Total Recount 5.10

· Funkdemental 5.11

· Poquito Mas 5.10

· Relampago 5.10

· Fishisms 5.10

· Great Expectations 5.10

· Shelf Pride 5.9

· High Heeled Titty Twister 5.10

· Politically Incorrect 5.10

· Bombodido 5.10

· The Book of Dude-Aronomy 5.10

· New World Order 5.10

18 of 127 were 5.12 or harder (14%)

26 of 127 were 5.11 or harder (20%)

56 of 127 were 5.10 or harder (44%)

27 of 127 were 5.9 or below (22%)

Exponential Challenge: Day 7

2013-04-10T10:53:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

We stayed in hotel instead of risking a bad nights rest. We got to the Cactus Cliff by 630am and started climbing at 7 in one of the coldest winds that I have climbed in.

This is the first route of the day. With frozen hands and limbs we climbed steadily throughout the day. I chose to lead every route of the day as an additional personal challenge to top off the week.
In the end, we each climbed 64 routes and I have to thank Ben for joining me. He did great and stuck with it even when the fatigue really set in for him.
The one route that stuck out on this day was the 11th from the end. I got cold, tired and really felt that I was going to fall while on lead. The overhanging dihedral was kicking my butt and hitting all of my weaknesses. I sucked it up and got a second wind as the folks from Denver that we climbing next to us began to chat it up. Thanks so much for those that we climbed with over the week and to all those who helped me train. It was great fun to get it done!

You can see it in our eyes that we are kind of tired after 12 straight hours of climbing and belaying.

Sunset at Shelf, we didn't even need our headlamps!

Exponential Challenge: Day 6

2013-04-10T10:42:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

I slept a bit uneasily in Golden, CO the night before the 32 pitch day. But I had a plan and new that I could do it. We would visit 4 walls and do about 8 routes at each wall and then take it from there. If we were unable to get 8 at a wall then we would catch up at the Red Slab at the end of the day.

We started at the Dog Wall. It has a warm up or two and then a few juggy overhanging climbs.

We got and early start and caught a beautiful sunrise as we got into the car and headed into the canyon of Clear Creek.

Dog Wall. Still needs a bit of cleaning to get the glued holds off the wall, but in the end its still fun. We completed all the routes on the wall except for 1 or 2 in about an hour.

Yes it was down jacket time again!

Ben taking a TR burn at the Dog Wall.

After flying through those climbs we were to tackle 8 at the Anarchy Wall.
Only one route was dripping, so we flew though these in about an hour or so. Two of my favorite climbs in the canyon are on this wall. Anarchitect and the 12d to the left! I was psyched to send both of them on my first go after all these years!

Ben and I after slaying the routes on the east side of tunnel two.
Before we stopped there, we climbed with some Colorado School of Mines students at the Wall of the 90's.

Then John Dickey, (the great video and photographer) stopped down so that Ben could show off is "god" like qualities! We ended the day around 130 and were off to Canon City and Shelf road by 230.

In all the day went off without a hitch, sending all the climbs was awesome and I felt ready for the big day at the Cactus Cliff. It actually became pleasant by the end of the day so we didn't have to wear our down jackets all day for once!

piz : )

Exponential Challenge: Day 5

2013-04-10T10:23:00.002-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

We got up early and headed out of town to Rifle, CO. We would not be returning home until after the 64 pitch day. As usual, it was cold and snowy! Yeah!

So we sat in the car until 9ambefore we began freezing our fingers and toes on the limestone cliffs.

Yes, it was cold.

But the walls were dry or at least frozen, so we had that going for us.

By 2ish we had each climbed 16 pitches between 5.10 and 5.12 with no falls. What a great way to push ourselves. I felt a bit tired at the end of this one due to the pump factor of the canyons routes. It was great to see Ben hanging in there and standing on his feet. He had climbed many days in a row before but not like this with an agenda where the sooner you got done meant more rest for the next day!
It was on to Golden to my old place and old roommates house. We would be entertained all that night by my old roommate sharing stories of about 10 years of he and I living together and all the goofy things that I said or did. Good times. Thanks Jim!

piz : )

Exponential Challenge: Day Four

2013-04-10T10:13:00.002-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

By day four Ben and I were feeling tired. The tower day was not too difficult grade wise but, the cold weather and moving between climbs added up.

We started a little bit later than normal on day four because it was just 8 routes. 8 single pitch routes! It felt like a rest day and made quick work of the climbs on a cool day in Escalante.

A photo showing the Frank Zappa Appreciation Society. I still can't believe that I was able to get the first free ascent of that roof.

We had some sunshine on and off but still had to climb in down jackets and winter hats! When would the weather improve a little bit? I wasn't looking for 70 degree temperatures, but out of the 30's would have been nice!

Escalante, what a great place to climb and explore.

We ended early without any falls (except for Ben since he tried the Zappa route 13+).
I got to hang out with my wife and son and that was awesome. The reality was that the week was about to get tough with 16 pitches in rifle and then the 100 pitches in the last 2 days.
Oh well, a little bit of hard work never hurt anyone before.

piz : )

Props from the Boulder Newspaper. Thanks, I am honored!

2013-04-10T08:06:00.000-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

http://www.dailycamera.com/get-out/ci_22990194/chris-weidner-king-pain-rob-pizem-and-his?IADID=Search-www.dailycamera.com-www.dailycamera.com

Exponential Challenge: Day 3

2013-04-09T15:03:00.002-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Feeling a bit tired on the morning of day three I almost had to back out.My wife is about 8 weeks pregnant and was feeling ill. I couldn't go climbing on my spring break with a sick wife and feel good about it so I told her that I would stay home until she felt better. She figured that she was just having pregnancy pains and told me to go climb. I was happy because I had trained a long time for this week and to have missed out would have been a real bummer. Anyway this is what it looked like outside when we began. Did I mention that it was really cold out and windy?

The Kissing Couple on the approach.

Ben showing how cold it felt at the end of pitch one. Look at that windx-treme on his face and head. Just like me!!! It was by far the life saver piece of the whole week!

Climbing through the last pitch.

After we got our ropes stuck in the intense wind and in a crack and re climbing a pitch on the way down, we were running to the next summit. Independence Monument is iconic and has the easiest access to a tower summit ever, chopped steps and drilled holes for hand holds.

Yeah, I look fat with all the layers on and I look like a clown too!

Here is the place where we racked up. Yes that is snow!

Ben led and I followed as we simul-climbed the whole thing in about 10 minutes.

Bomber gear.

Ben bringing me to the top.

What a view at the next two towers, Sentinel Spire and the Deficating Monk way at the end of the picture. The amount of walking and chimneying combined with the last two days was beginning to take its toll on us.The wind and cold was brutal. But I was having a lot of fun pushing it like we were.

Then we ran to the next tower and began in the sun and in pretty good temps finally!

Ben joining me after pitch 2

The splitter pitch 3.

Ben on pitch 3.

3 down and we are in good shape. Dang that down jacket is on again!

The final tower. That roof on the is one of my free routes, it is called Spec One and goes at 13- through a 4 inch roof! We meant to do that pitch but it got wicked cold again and was in the shade. Niether of us wanted to suffer that bad again.

Ben in the chimney.

Two happy and worn out guys on the last summit. This was going to be a good week!!

Exponential Challenge: Day 2

2013-04-09T14:41:00.000-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!
piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Day 2
Again it was cold and we were climbing at an elevation of around 8000 feet. The winds were absolutely brain numbing at the Sunday Wall. Our two chosen routes were south facing, but there was little to no sun and the outside temperatures were around the upper 20's.

The Sunday Wall

Ben starting on pitch 2

Ben joining me on pitch 3

I needed the wind breaker because it was wickedly cold.

Ben attempting the last crux pitch, after falling on a heady section down low he aced the upper crux first try!

The last rappel off this wonderful sling and block. Thanks to whomever left this baby for us to rap off of.

We took a beating that day. The weather never really improved. Some cams came flying off of Ben's harness as a gear loop broke. I caught a few in mid air and the rest went whizzing past me to the ground a few hundred feet below.
I led the whole next route just for the sake of time and we were able to warm up in the while driving home. After the first two days we were cut up, bloody, frozen and beginning to question the task before us.

Oh well, that is what adventure is all about!

Exponential Week: The First Day

2013-04-09T09:55:00.002-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Day 1
It was cold, so cold in fact that the down jackets were out and we found lots of ice frozen in the wash while on the way through Rough Canyon to the tower. I picked up Ben early in the morning because I knew that attempting a first free ascent always takes longer than you think! I was crossing my fingers about this route that I had chosen.

Here Ben attempts to drink from the wash. No luck.

Ben and the tower in the back.

The crack that had been aided once (as far as we know). It led to a slow time aiding, cleaning and eventually freeing it.There were plenty of loose sandstone blocks to trundle off the wall and edges to break along the way. After we took turns eating sand, the pitch was freed. Then the snow and wind came in.
We climbed the squeeze chimney (or should I say, I conned the rookie Ben into leading it) and then sent the last boulder problem to the anchor. The most memorable portion of the route was the giant flake that I was afraid to weight in the middle of the route. Once I got past, it was a little bit of off-width without gear to a traverse through the four inch roof. What a day to fight the cold, our fear and come out on top!

Me with all my clothes on!

Ben was questing up the first pitch!

Ben joining me on pitch 2

Ben to the summit

The view throughout the day. Sometimes it was snowing and blowing and other times we got a few seconds of sunshine. Overall it was a great start to the week!

piz : )

More on the Exponential Week!

2013-04-09T09:13:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!
piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WindX-treme

The morning it began.

Seconds after we completed all those pitches!

Getting Exponential

I am about to embark on another self-imposed potentially ridiculous climbing challenges. In the past, I have traveled the West in search of climbing all the Astro-themed routes, other times I have sought out long multi-pitch link ups in Yosemite Valley and Zion National Park, while other times I quested into the unknown in and out of the country for new routing and adventure. There is still so much to do and many more places to visit, but this year due to the proximity of my second son’s birth, I will be staying close to home during my spring break.

In late 2012, I concocted an exponential growth problem of sorts. Seeing that I teach population genetics in my high school Biology class and dabble in mathematics at times, I figured that I could identify another theme that could host a worthy opponent to my mental and physical stamina on the rocks. As usual, I enlisted my senior and best friend, Mike Brumbaugh to join me on this seemingly impossible task. When I described what I wanted to do, he immediately was interested and said, “I’m in.”

Many of you know that Mike runs a ski shop or two in Colorado and since winter is his busy time, he normally puts in 80+ hour weeks in order to make sure that every costumer that walks through his doors wants to come back to Venture Sports to rent skis the next time that they are in the state. All that work means that Mike can get badly out of shape. I am talking a French pastry and doughnut filled belly. One hundred plus days in a row will destroy most folks. However in years past, Mike has been able to maintain his stoicism and keep on plugging along while on whatever magical rock surface that we get our callused (in his case, baby soft) hands and feet upon.

Me on the other hand, can train like a fiend and be in nearly close to top performing condition at nearly anytime during the year. I teach high school which allows me to have a regular schedule. That means that at five am a couple mornings a week, I circuit train and in the evening after my son goes to sleep, I can get some mileage in on the ropes at my local gym, the Grand Junction Climbing Center.

Training for this challenge (which I will share the details shortly) was hampered in a variety of ways. The winter on the western slope of Colorado this year was particularly cold. I mean a three month long inversion holding onto life sucking abnormally cold air temperatures that hovered near zero and below. Those temperatures, along with the fact that I caught every miserable cold that came through my school, combined with the fact that it really wanted to snow on the weekends made it extremely difficult to gain the proper endurance to complete my challenge. Mike wasn’t training at all and since it never really hurt him in the past I wasn’t too worried.

Late February and March was when Mike was going to get after it and begin logging in the miles on the rock. As it happened, he had to work more than he wanted and ended up getting some kind of virus that attacked his joints and laid him about for about ten days straight. He told me on the phone while resting an ice pack on his head, that it hurt to make a fist. I laughed and (yet was concerned) joked with his wife about the illness and got back to my indoor training sessions (which were beginning to tax me.) After his two week bed vacation, Mike bowed out of the challenge. My bubble burst (not like that crappy Incubus song) and I was in limbo. I had a challenge but no partner. My wife Jane tried to remind me that the challenge didn’t need to be done, no one was depending on me to attempt it or achieve it and that it was just my crazy idea that I can do anytime. Even though there was reason in her sage words, I don’t lie down that easily. I quickly enlisted my photographer for this journey. After all, he was off the same time to record the effort on film and totally badass in his own right. So I called up John Dickey and told him about how Mike was out and asked him to join me. After a moment of hesitation, he was like, “oh yeah I am in!”

A few days passed, I trained some more and John worked his butt off shooting and editing photos and video. One evening while sharing a delicious beverage with his close friends, he shared his plans about the last week of March, (which were of course the detailed description of my now top secret challenge). They immediately said “Are you nuts, you’re totally out of shape, you can’t do that? What are you thinking?” After an evening of reflection, he realized that he might not be the best partner for me for this challenge and backed out. I was bummed but desperate to continue my made up quest and quickly realized that the answer was right under my nose here in Grand Junction.

I had been training and climbing with Ben Rueck for almost as long as I had been living in Grand Junction. He was strong and had a positive attitude and was willing to join me on new routing (even though he showed up hung over and reeking of alcohol the first time that we climbed together)and my (now called “brutal”) workouts. Ben was close to completing a winter project and I didn’t want to impose my silly plans on him while he was so close to sending, but I did anyway. I knew that the crux holds of his route were beginning to seep and that unfortunately with every warm spring day that came, they would only seep more and make the climb impossible. Anyway, Ben wanted some more “Piz time” since we hadn’t been able to climb together much do to different climbing goals this spring and decided that the challenge would be perfect.

So now that I have a partner and one more day to wait before my Getting Exponential Challenge begins, you may hear the details. You have wanted long enough and listened to me ramble about something that I now think is stupid and cool all at once.

The Getting Exponential Challenge

Day 1: free 1 aid line on a desert tower (It was initially going to be a Black Canyon route but there is too much snow and limited access right now)
Day 2: free 2 500-600ft climbs in Unaweep Canyon
Day 3: free 4 towers in Colorado National Monument
Day 4: free 8 Escalante routes
Day 5: free 16 Rifle routes
Day 6: free 32 routes in Clear Creek Canyon
Day 7: free 64 routes at Shelf Road (in 24 hours)

First of all, what I like about this challenge is that it allows me to get a lot of climbing in on many different rock types. It also challenges my ability to climb well on all rock types quickly. Lastly, it’s cool cause after climbing that many pitches; we will be approaching 20,000 feet of climbing in a really short amount of time without doing the same type of movements.

The Pizonucci Sequence AKA The Spring Break Exponential Challenge

2013-04-01T12:00:00.000-06:00

Here is a little write up over my last week of climbing fun!
Expect more details and photos to come.

http://www.climbing.com/news/exponential-spring-break-1-to-64-routes-a-day-for-a-week/

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Training with Piz: One Leg Squat, with Oppostie Arm Raise on Balance Disk

2013-03-20T13:47:00.001-06:00

Get outside and have an adventure!
piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme

Here is a great way to work on your advanced balance, leg strength and core tension.
You end up working your quads and stabilizers throughout your body.

Instructions

Stand on balance disk on one leg with opposite arm extended above your head holding bar.
Squat with the weight of your body on your heel, while extending the opposite leg in front of you.
Attempt to go as low as possible. You may need to perform this next to the wall if you don't have the balance.
Repeat for a given time and perform 3-5 reps

This is a difficult version of a simple and effective exercise. You need to decide whether or not to use the balance disk or the additional weight.

My Hands are Full

2013-03-19T15:14:00.001-06:00

This is my newest line, just follow the black fixed line up the wall for 500ft!

Next on the list of routes to establish.

Oh yeah there is a little bit more rock to look at too!

Cool arete anyone?

Chris taking a ride on the new rig. It goes at 5.12 gear and bolts 40 meter pitches (for p1 and p2) and then a 5.9 pitch to the top.

Get outside and have an adventure!

piz : )

Thanks to my amazing sponsors: Arcteryx, CAMP-USA, SCARPA, Sterling Ropes, the AAC and WIndX-treme