Roasting in SoCal

Although primarily arid, it’s starting to get quite hot here in SoCal. Most of the climbing areas either have long approaches with no shade or no relief at the crag ­– in the LA area at least. Most people are heading for high altitude areas around Big Bear and Idyllwild. In a sense it’s good because it forces you to venture away from the local crags. I was really hoping it would give me an excuse to get out to Yosemite or Bishop, but it appears to be just as brutal up there.

On the east coast it seemed to be the other way around. It was impossible to climb during the winter and the best times to get out were all throughout the summer months. I guess some folks would venture up into the Adirondacks to get a break from the sun exposed Gunks routes, but coming from Texas I was more than content with sticking to a full summer at the Gunks.

I was in central Texas climbing this past week and not only was it unbearably hot and humid, but it was slimy as hell from the unrelenting rain they’ve been getting. I had nearly forgotten about the mosquitoes there too.

I hate to make it sound like I am complaining…I mainly wanted to point out this change in seasons which forces us to venture to new or at least different crags. It naturally influences us to change up our climbing routine and keeps us from developing a comfort zone and resorting to the same ol’ same ol’. Use it as an excuse and get another road trip under your belt.

Crankin' so I don't get cranky

Climbing sometimes seems like medicine to me. If I don't take it, I get sick. I am sharpest at work, best in my relationships and happiest in life when I am getting a fair share of climbing. If I get too busy or things come up and I go a week or so without climbing, I definitely feel the repercussions. I get cranky. I fee irritable. And, can become unhappy in general.

I have to catch myself and make it happen sometimes before I go completely insane. I find that if I have had a hard day at work or if other things are getting me down, climbing will always bring back to a good balance and put a smile on my face. It's sometimes hard to explain to people, not everyone gets it unless they have an obsession as well.

Climbing isn't the easiest passion to have. It often takes your entire day to get out to the parking spot, hike to the crag and get a few routes in. It also can often wear you out for the night ­– killing your social life. Also, to keep from getting bored you need to change it up on occasion by taking a road trip or if you're lucky going to some climbing spot overseas. It's not as easy as picking up a guitar for a few hours or taking paint to a canvas in your garage (not to discount any of those passions).

Climbing can be high maintenance, but it worth every minute and ounce of energy...we just need to convince our significant others of that.

I guess gyms arent so bad after all

I will have to take back what I have always said about climbing in gyms. I always hated climbing in gyms and couldn't understand why people would bother. But, now that I have a couple climbing goals in mind and have been training three or four days a week, climbing in a gym is making it all possible. I am getting stronger than ever.

And, lately I have been working 60 hour weeks and couldn't possibly have the time to climb outside during the week. It's great to train during the weekdays at the gym then go outside on the weekends and be able to see a clear difference in performance in just one week.

So, don't sell your self short...stay motivated and strong.

A Tribute to Red Rocks

I have been climbing in a handful of spots around the globe and have yet to find a crag that tops those at Red Rocks. Yes the rock isn’t the most solid, but the overall atmosphere, variety of climbing, grip of the rock and movements created from cruising through the routes are top quality.

There are great multi-pitch routes, cracks and trad routes, challenging boulder problems and tons of pumpy, technical or slabby sport routes. Really, the only thing I would change about it is the camping. The camping at 13-Mile campground is not great, but it’s enough. Beyond that, you can always find a good deal at one of the casinos. Your flight would typically be cheaper if you booked the two together anyway. Just fight the temptation to play craps all night or you’ll be napping at the crag rather than performing at your peak level.

Lago Atitlan, Guatemala

Jen and I just got back from an amazing trip to Guatemala. We weren’t 100 percent sure what to expect when we got there, but as always, things fell into place.

We started our trip by taking a shuttle directly from the Guatemala City airport to Antigua about 45 minutes away. Antigua is a city in the central mountains of Guatemala that is famous for its baroque architecture, church ruins and flowing volcano. We ended up having a mellow day exploring the market, cobblestone streets and a bit of the nightlife before moving on.

The next morning we took a bus to Chichicastenango (Chichi), known for its indigenous market that caters partly to tourism, but also provides much of the goods and services for locals. You can get anything from chicken feet or textiles to machetes there. After about four hours of haggling vendors, Jen and I headed straight to Panajachel (Pana) on Lago Atitlan (Lake Atitlan).

After getting a feel for Pana we decided to go on to one of the more low-key lake villages about a 30 minute boat ride away. The village of San Marcos ended up being our home for the next two nights and was one of the most amazing places we went. For the most part there weren’t any streets or automobiles. There were just cobblestone or dirt paths that traversed the bay. You could easily get from one end of the village to the other in 15 minutes. Many people visit the area for its yoga and meditation retreats, but several travelers were just there to soak up the tranquility like us.

The entire lake was surrounded by volcanoes that peaked at over 10,000 feet. It was a sort of highland jungle and the water was clear green and warm. The lake was surrounded by limestone crags, yet most of the rock looked loose and chosy. There were however several cliffs breaching the water that looked quality.

Regardless, San Marcos was a mellow place that had low cost accommodations and food. You can also load up on plenty of Gallo (local beer) with an amazing view for next to nothing. I highly recommend it.

Austin: A model climbing community

I just got back from a long weekend in Austin and had the opportunity to get out to both Reimer’s Ranch and the Green Belt (New Wall & Great Wall). Although it was slightly humid, the conditions were ideal.

The crags in Austin are definitely getting crowded. I think it has a lot to do with the open climbing community and social scene in Austin. Having been out of Austin for a couple years now, I have realized that Austin has a very unique climbing community. It’s the only place I have climbed where you can just show up with your shoes and a harness and have no trouble meeting a crew of folks to climb with…almost any day of the week.

Many of the climbers are active in ensuring access and developing climbing areas as well. Just recently, the future of climbing in Reimer’s Ranch was solidified with help by the Central Texas Mountaineers and the Access Fund who assisted the county in purchasing the land rather than it going to a private developer. Additionally, the county bought up another area next to Reimer’s that holds the promise to nearly double the amount of routes in the area.

In my opinion Austin is a benchmark city for climbers to strive for. It would be excellent to have that camaraderie when road-tripping.

Access to Williamson Rock

This week I have received several “calls to action” by fellow climbers and the Access Fund aimed at reestablishing access for climbers in one of LA’s most popular crags that had been shut down years ago for conservation reasons. I invite you to assist us in regaining access to the crag.

The below Action Alert was sent to me by the Access Fund:

ACTION ALERT

Forest Service Proposes Williamson Rock Trail to Reopen Climbing Opportunities in the Angeles National Forest at Williamson Rock, CA

Your Comments needed by June 6th

The Angeles National Forest is requesting public comments on a proposal to construct a trail from the Angeles Crest Highway to Williamson Rock, located in the upper reaches of Little Rock Creek within the Angeles National Forest. The proposal will analyze reopening the popular recreation site and rock climbing area to the public, while protecting the mountain yellow-legged frog (MYLF) and its critical habitat.

The information can be found at: www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/news/2007/news-2007-05-10-comments-on-williamson-rock-access.shtml and www.fs.fed.us/r5/angeles/documents/final-williamson-rock-scoping-ltr.pdf

Positive comments from the climbing community are URGENTLY NEEDED in the form of a written letter (preferred over e-mail).

Quantity is CRITICAL we need a lot of climbers to write in, so forward this to your climbing partners!

Here are some points you may wish to include in your comments:
1. State why climbing at Williamson is important to you.
2. The climbing resources at Williamson Rock are very valuable to climbers locally and around the world.
3. Due to its high elevation and proximity to the Los Angeles basin, the High Desert region, San Bernardino, and even San Diego, Williamson Rock is the most heavily used and most important resource available to climbers that live in or are visiting the Southern California region in the summer.
4. The MYLF and climbing can co-exist.
5. Climbers respect the wilderness and are committed to access and conservation.
6. Climbers are willing to help with monitoring and to work with the USFS and other agencies to mitigate the problem.
7. Contact info (include name and email)

Your comments may be sent through the mail to the following address:
John F. Capell, District Ranger
Attn. Jonathan Schwartz
Santa Clara/Mojave Rivers Ranger District
30800 Bouquet Canyon Road
Saugus, CA 91390
or preferably via email to:
jschwartz@fs.fed.us

Background: The Williamson Rock area is a well-known recreation site used predominately for rock climbing. It has been used by climbers since the 1960's and is widely regarded as a unique rock climbing resource for the entire Southern California region.

The Williamson Rock area has been temporarily closed since December 2005 to protect a frog, which is an endangered species listed under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. Populations of the frog are known to exist within the closure area. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service designated approximately 615 acres along Little Rock Creek within the closure area as critical habitat for the MYLF in October 2006.

For more information, please visit www.williamsonrock.org or email troy@williamsonrock.org