Climbing Narcissist

Five

Narc — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 12:18:28 +0000

About 12 years ago a strange confluence of circumstances led me to the local climbing gym for the first time. I had no idea at the time how much my life was about to change in so many amazing and unforeseen ways. Looking back, I really can’t imagine what my life would be like had I never walked into the gym that day.

Likewise, it was five years ago to this exact date that I started this website with little forethought other than recognizing that I was obsessed with climbing, the internet and talking about climbing on the internet. Much like when I walked into the gym way back in the day, I can’t really imagine what my life would be like had I never started down this road.

Despite my tenuous grasp on how to formulate coherent, grammatically correct sentences, this site has achieved some modicum of success, and I would like to thank everyone who has visited, commented or shared your support in other ways throughout the years. Without your continued support there would be no reason for me to keep doing this.

The biggest thanks, however, goes to Mrs. Narc. Her unending support as I spend hours and hours and hours of my time working on this site has been invaluable.

As for what the future holds, it’s hard to say. I could do this for another month or another five years. Who knows. As long as I’m still having fun and as long as people are still psyched to visit I don’t see any reason to stop anytime soon.

Five from Climbing Narcissist

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It Was An Honor Just To Be Nominated

Nina Caprez Repeats Mind Control (5.14c)

Narc — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 15:07:54 +0000

Just a day or two after Daila Ojeda did the FFA of Mind Control (5.14c) at Oliana Nina Caprez succeeded in redpointing the route as well. She calls the route a “perfect line” on her blog where she also had this to say about the grade:

The grade of Mind Control is really not extreme. If somebody will downgread, why not. But honestly, grades are so unimportant. I’ve had the chance to climb such a fantastic line and I feel so alive and my body is full of energy and power. I can realize my dreams, what else counts in live?

Nina Caprez Repeats Mind Control (5.14c) from Climbing Narcissist

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Busy Times In Hueco

Narc — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:15:29 +0000

It’s been a busy few weeks in Hueco Tanks where an international crew of boulderers have assembled to take advantage of all that Hueco has to offer.

The Netherland’s Jorg Verhoeven and Austria’s Katha Saurwein have been travelling throughout the States for the last several months excelling at seemingly every style of climbing. They spent some time in Kentucky where Verhoeven climbed routes as hard as 5.14d, they both climbed a slew of highballs in Bishop and in Hueco the story has been much the same. Verhoeven has ticked off several testpieces including Esperanza (V14), Slashface (V13), Alma Blanca (V13), Nagual (V13) and the rarely climbed The Land Before Time (V13)¹. Saurwein has been on a tear as well, climbing three V11′s in a single day with repeats of Mo Mojo, Sunshine and Le Chinkel. She’s since added a one day ascent of Rumble In The Jungle (V11 or 12) as well according to updates on Martin Keller’s blog.

American expat Alex Puccio wrapped up a very successful visit to Hueco by flashing Crimping Christ On The Cross (V10) and repeating Mo Mojo (V11), Chablanke (V11) and Barefoot On Sacred Ground (V11). Looking at her 8a scorecard we can see that she did 9 double digit boulders during her stay in Hueco. The UK’s Shauna Coxsey also made the trip to Hueco with Puccio and had a great deal of success herself completing eight double digit problems including the classic V10 Full Service.

Representing Team America in Hueco are the likes of Alex Johnson and Dave Graham. Johnson notched a repeat of Barefoot on Sacred Ground (V11) according to her 8a scorecard while Graham has been cleaning up a few of the existing lines he hadn’t done previously and also establishing a few new lines including a pair of potential V13′s.

Sent one of the projects! Where Love Goes To Die. Amazing freak compression rig. 8b? Syked!!!!

February 19, 2012 7:14 pm via Twitter for iPhone ReplyRetweetFavorite

@Dave_Graham_

Dave Graham

Dave Graham on his new V13 Bastard in a Basket on East Mountain

The cool pocketed roof first done by Dave Graham and Chris Sharma in Dosage IV ↩

Busy Times In Hueco from Climbing Narcissist

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Double Mind Control (5.14c) Send Day

Narc — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 20:06:47 +0000

It was a big day on the big wall at Oliana yesterday as both Daila Ojeda and Joe Kinder grabbed repeats of Chris Sharma’s Mind Control¹, a stunning 5.14c most famous for being onsighted by Adam Ondra. Big Up Productions is still out in Spain so look for footage of all this Spain stuff at, presumably, this year’s Reel Rock Tour. Footage of Ojeda working Mind Control last year can be seen in this Sterling Rope spot.

Mind Control now has two check marks on the unofficial list of reasons a hard route can be downgraded—it’s been onsighted and Joe Kinder climbed it a woman climbed it—so look for that in the near future. ↩

Double Mind Control (5.14c) Send Day from Climbing Narcissist

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Video Friday – 2/17/2012

Narc — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 12:16:22 +0000

The 2012 edition of ABS Nationals kicks off a week from today, and there is some bad news for fans of last year’s live broadcast. Due to budget problems there will be no live broadcast of this year’s event. Big negative. If this was a finely crafted conspiracy on the part of USA Climbing and ne2c to get me to make the trip out for the comp¹ it worked. I am in the process of making arrangements to be in Colorado Springs to bring you live updates from the event. Stay tuned.

Video Friday

On the video front it was another week of great videos with a bit of something for everyone.

Unlikely ↩

Video Friday – 2/17/2012 from Climbing Narcissist

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“Fuerza My People”

Narc — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:52:55 +0000

In a post on Five Ten’s site Dave Graham reflects in his usual style on the last few months of 2011 which culminated with his FA of Memory is Parallax (V14):

In a day and age where each boulder problem is argued to be less and less significant (its not that hard, its not that cool, its not that tall, its not what I like, no one will go there, blah blah blah) I find it truly important to share when things do matter. When something I have done a boulder is significant. I took a lot from this experience as a person, even though I just climbed a rock, it was a massive milestone, and a true personal accomplishment, but it was because of how it fit into my life, where I was when I did it, and where I came from before I started trying it.

“Fuerza My People” from Climbing Narcissist

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Daniel Woods Wins North Face Cup, Climbs Hard Boulders In Japan

Narc — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:01:45 +0000

Shortly after winning the 2012 Dark Horse Championships Daniel Woods made the trek to Japan to compete in The North Face Cup and sample some of Dai Koyamada’s roof testpieces at Shiobara. Woods won The North Face Open, besting a strong field that included Sachi Amma, and repeated both Catharsis (V14) and Hydra (V13) in a single visit to Shiobara according to his 27Crags ticklist. Pictures from the comp can be seen here and here.

Daniel Woods Wins North Face Cup, Climbs Hard Boulders In Japan from Climbing Narcissist

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Brushing Up On Some History

Narc — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 13:14:28 +0000

Certain climbing areas have iconic problems that everyone remembers their experience with and at the Buttermilks outside Bishop, CA, The Iron Man Traverse (V4) is one such problem. In this great post on the Bishop Bouldering Blog guidebook author Wills Young takes a closer look at the history of this problem and the man who claimed the FA back in the 70′s:

This compelling problem, in the middle of main area at The Buttermilks must be one of the most often-tried problems of its grade anywhere in the world. So what is the story behind this line? Getting the ball rolling by climbing and naming this popular classic was our very own climbing-shoe re-sole master Tony Puppo of The Rubber Room in Bishop.

Brushing Up On Some History from Climbing Narcissist

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Training Tips From Justen Sjong

Narc — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:10:33 +0000

Andrew Bisharat shares several good tips he gleaned from a session with climbing coach Justen Sjong including this tidbit that really struck home for me personally:

Because I want to be a “good” climber and I want others to perceive me as such, it seems as though I am often trying too hard to look solid and in control. I hold my breathe, even, to not give that audible clue that I’m actually trying hard. I try to be controlled and static on moves. And above all, my biggest weakness, as Justen pointed out, was that I have trouble giving 100 percent most of the time. It takes a lot for me to put myself out that far.

…snip…

In other words, if I try my hardest and fail, then everyone will know just how weak I am.

The reason for this mentality differs from person to person, but I think there is something to this that affects many of us. I know that the idea that other people are usually watching and my innate desire to not look like a punter in front of them has had a real impact on my development as a climber. Throw in the fact that I’m now super famous because of this website¹ and it’s any wonder I climb with people around at all any more².

Anyway, read the article and try to learn a few ways to make yourself a better climber in 2012.

In a pseudo-anonymous, small fish in a really big sea sort of way ↩
Not really. I love climbing with everyone. ↩

Training Tips From Justen Sjong from Climbing Narcissist

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Men Of Routesetting 2012

Narc — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 01:14:41 +0000

Looking for a last-minute gift for the special lady¹ in your life? For a mere $3, all of which is donated to the Access Fund, you can download the 2012 edition of the Men Of Routesetting calendar. Flowers are going to be dead in a few days. The MORS calendar lasts all year long…

Or man ↩

Men Of Routesetting 2012 from Climbing Narcissist

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