Tales from Earthsea, FA ~v11
A beautiful project first shown to me by Alec, a full five years ago on my first day at the teapot. I climbed it on Sunday, closing my bouldering season in the best way.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
@uprising.chch
Before I left for Canada two years ago, I spent a fair few weekends trying (and failing) to climb this stunning bit of limestone. It's nice to be back with a much larger margin and to put it down quick. Grateful to share the moment with so many friends ❤️
Fatal Flaw v13
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📷:@kirishibahara
The Airport Wall! ✈️
Tom and I climbed Con Air. My first multi day climb! Learning to big wall is tough. Always grateful to Tom for leading the hard and scary pitches 😅
The rock is so cool and the exposure is insane! Will be back for more.
@uprising.chch
I started climbing in the Fyfe around five years ago. It was the start of a resurgence in popularity, where many routes had only a single ascent and there were numerous legendary projects that had been abandoned by the previous generations.
I recently climbed the last of the old projects on Intergalactic Wall, bolted by Honza 20(?) odd years ago. I am calling it "Three-Body Problem" with a grade of around 32/8b+. I think it is one of the best on the wall.
It's great to see the shift towards development in recent years, as there is an absurd amount of untapped potential. There's at least one of the old projects remaining across the gorge, but I suspect it won't be for long. Time to put some more bolts in I guess.
Photo by Pippin @pippin.clearwaters@uprising.chch
It's been over a year since I left Squamish, and since then there's been a strong desire to return.
@aussie_edzo has completed his second Squamish project, a feature length of bouldering footage, feat. me and many of our friends.
Maybe this year I'll go back. Link in bio
Everything's Gone Green v12/13
Another one from the long list of old projects that feel a lot easier this year.
Pretty sweet for a lowball !!
🎥: @kirishibahara@uprising.chch
It's all polished choss. Don't bother
1:The final blind reach on Acapulco v11
2: Swinging leads with @_ben.t_ on Buffet for the Bellringer v10
3: A Love Supreme v13
Connor was the self-proclaimed 'worlds most psyched belayer' and all those that knew him knew it to be true. His positive energy and love for life was unlike anyone I'd ever met. When I conjured up the idea of attempting to climb El Capitan, he was the first person I asked to join me and was unbelievable stoked when he agreed. We had already had many adventures together and I knew that when times got tough (and they got tough) he could be relied on to keep a cool head, but most importantly keep positive and share a laugh. I will forever be grateful for our adventure in Yosemite together, I only wish it wasn't to be our last.
I miss you buddy. Rest easy ❤️
Thank you America 🇺🇸 ❤️
I'll be back before you know it
Streetcar Named Desire by @miyatsudome
Freerider
Midnight Lightning
Carpark (Parking Lot)
Ancient Arts
Daisy stuck
Kintsugi
A wholesome Thanksgiving
Half dome #restorehalfdome
The American Dream @coldtripsucks
Day 4: Get me the fuck off this wall
The silver lining of the previous night's storm, was that since the rock was going to be wet, there was no rush to get up before light. However, with 9 damp pitches still to go, and 5 back to back in the 11d-12b / 23-25 range, we did need to get a move on.
A short and surprisingly loosely protected face pitch put us at the base of the famous enduro corners. Connor graciously took the first lead which meant the second was mine. After just scraping through the first one on the top rope, it only took placing a single cam in the second one for me to know that I wasn't getting up it. The days prior had taken their toll, and we were both well over it. More exhausting aid climbing got us to the top of pitch 24. I managed two more pitches without hanging on gear, but then lost the will at the 'Scott Burke' offwidth (pitch 27, 11d/23) and ended up aiding the first half of that too. It was however, a STUNNING pitch, and I was really glad I free climbed the second half. That was apparently the last 'real' pitch of climbing, but the next two had me gripped and losing the plot. I fell out of a grade 5.7/15 chimney on the penultimate pitch twice, but the 5.6 slab (pitch 30?) to top out was glorious.
I had been dreading the descent of El Cap since I had conjured up the idea of climbing it but I truly was not prepared for the gruelling 4 hour return to the valley floor. We set off the top at 10pm, barely awake and with very little idea of where we were going. It perhaps would have wiser to bivvy on the top, but we were both desperate to get down. After rappelling the east ledges we stumbled through the forest and I was genuinely the most exhausted I have ever felt, struggling to keep myself from toppling over with my (fkn heavy) haul bag on.
The following morning the idea of ever big walling again made me feel sick, but I think maybe I've come around now. Surely the second one must be easier than the first? An objective for another year at the very least.
