Classics of Plastic

I shot this footage of my buddy on a route he set a while back with the plan of doing a setter profile, but as the holds on the wall changed and new tape went up I realized that by the time I shot everything I needed this video would make no sense. Not that gym climbing makes much sense anyway. Sense aside, I didn't want to just delete everything. Maybe down the line I'll find the time to shoot what I had intended in the first place.



-BLOCHEAD

The Next Big Thing

The seemingly overnight development of Lincoln Lake in Colorado, a state teeming with climbers, makes me wonder where the next big area is hiding. New Mexico comes to mind immediately for some reason. Having only driven through I have little knowledge about the state, but I remember being surprised at seeing so much rock and never hearing about any areas.

It could be Montana, Idaho, or somewhere down south. It could be in Oklahoma. It may be in all of these states, or it may not exist at all, but the idea of a new Hueco or Bishop somewhere in the U.S. is something that keeps my mind occupied as I fill up a water bottle and head to the gym week after week.

-BLOCHEAD

Thank You, Fred Nicole

I had been over climbing videos for a while. Shirtless dudes filming other shirtless dudes on hard problems with shaky camerawork over and over again. Even the best videos seemed pointless unless I was trying to glean beta.

Last night I finally saw Chuck Fryberger's CORE. I know that it has been out for a while, but I never cared enough to seek it out, and certainly not enough to pay for it. There was a free showing only blocks from my house though, and of course I had nothing planned.

After over an hour of strong men and women (but mostly shirtless men) climbing in slow motion the film ended with a segment on Fred Nicole. I just spent five minutes trying to preface Fred's name with something like "bouldering legend" or "pioneer," but it seemed too empty, too typical. He is just Fred Nicole, and that is what makes the segment memorable.

So here's to Fred Nicole. Thank you.



-BLOCHEAD

The Zoo & The Wild

I can post something about bouldering in Vegas every day but it won't change the fact that I'm living in Portland. The nearest outdoor bouldering is close, the temps are near perfect, however the chance of getting three consecutive rainless days to let the rock dry out is rare.

Consequently, the amount of plastic in Portland is absurd. Between the Portland Rock Gym and two Circuit Bouldering Gym locations indoor climbers are fortunate enough to climb new routes every week. The problem arises when what should be a motivating and diverse climbing palette quickly spoils and skews the climber's relationship between plastic and real rock.

I have heard of groups in Portland that only boulder indoors. Year round. At first this seemed unfathomable, however after being slowly lured into a world with climate control, permanent slacklines and top ropes, loud music, cute guys/girls in tight pants, padded floors, and 150-300 routes within a stone's throw I understood fully.

Climbing outside is hard. You mean to tell me that I have to get in a car with my own personal padded floor squares, drive over 5 minutes to a place where I park and then HIKE to some boulders? No, thank you. Next you'll probably tell me that I won't be able to buy my Clif bar and Red Bull at the crag, that I'll have to bring them from home. Plus it's cold as hell outside. And where are all the cute girls? Am I supposed to go shirtless with a beanie without anyone noticing? Where are the huge jug warm ups for me to campus? The slackline? Screw this I'm sticking to the gym.

Gyms are great. Without them we would all be fat and miserable here in Portland. However, it is important to keep a certain level of reality in mind for the members for their own sake. Inflating routes and problems isn't going to make anyone a better climber, just a frustrated one when they decide to actually go rock climbing.

-BLOCHEAD

Book of Nightmares

Here is a little video my buddy Craig Berman shot of Paul Nadler sending the proud Pete Lowe FA Book of Nightmares.

-BLOCHEAD

Red Rocks Rampage

Whether because of the new guidebook, the crowds and restrictions in Hueco Tanks, or just word of mouth about development potential a swarm of strong climbers have flocked to Las Vegas this season to take down new classics in the side canyons and washes known until recently as only sport climbing or trad destinations.

It was roughly a year ago that most of these new classics such as Americana Exotica and Book of Nightmares were developed, as well as numerous other moderates. it seemed to be the silver age of development in Las Vegas thanks to big time contributors like Pete Lowe, Craig Berman, and Andrew Spencer. I was lucky enough to ride the tail end of this development boom, just months before Tom Moulin's guide was published.

This season strong climbers are racing to repeat new and old classics and scout new ones. Natasha Barnes recently claimed the FFA of Americana Exotica, while Matt Wilder managed a flash of the problem. Long standing Pete Lowe FA's such as Book of Nightmares and Lion's Share are now seeing more ascents as well. Ethan Pringle added a proposed V12 sit start to the existing Lion's Share dubbing it Hungry Hungry Hippos.

With all the strength in Las Vegas right now it will be interesting to see if Andrew Spencer's line Scare Tactics, located just on the other side of the boulder from the classic Bubble Butt will see a second ascent.

Despite the new guidebook and development boom the potential for development in Red Rocks and the surrounding Calico Basin is immense. I used to leave my house with the goal of finding at least one new boulder every session. It is great that there are now more eyes looking for hidden sandstone gems in the desert. That was the aim in the first place.

-BLOCHEAD

Climbing Hold Roll Call

On the heels of yesterdays post I thought to compile a list of current hold manufacturers.

This is non-exhaustive, so please feel free to comment with more.

-Entre Prises
-Metolius
-Revolution
-Climb-It
-So Ill
-Cryptochild
-Detroit Rock Climbing Company
-e-Grips
-Rock Candy
-Threeball
-Atxarte
-World Cup
-Atomik
-Project
-Barndoor
-Uprising
-Teknik
-Etch
-Voodoo
-Franklin
-Asana
-Element
-Summit Labs
-Escape
-Motivation Volumes
-Nicros
-Vision
-Contact
-Sequence
-Rockwerx
-Black Swan
-Bomber
-Iceholds
-Koru
-Synrock
-Custom
-Woody's Holds
-Friction
-Uncarved Block
-Pusher

-BLOCHEAD

Plastic Purgatory

It's a sad day when a hold breaks. There's usually bucket, a box, or a bin that the now deemed useless hold gets carelessly tossed into. It may be alone or with others, left to compare war stories with fellow chipped feet, shattered incuts, and snapped jugs. Left to gather dust and take up space, uncertain of their future. It takes a long time for this waiting room to fill up, but eventually it does.

Today I harvested holds in the plastic purgatory. I picked through each hold looking for a logo that might still be around; something I could salvage and send back to the manufacturer for a replacement. Some were lucky, but brands like Lapis and old concrete shapes were beyond help. The evolution of climbing holds is something I never thought of until seeing all of the stages in one bin.

Most of these pieces were older than I am. It felt right to send them to a final resting place.




-BLOCHEAD

Hippies? In the Army?

-BLOCHEAD

C'mon Mad Rock

I can't start taking you seriously unless you start proofreading your FULL PAGE BACK COVER ads.
-BLOCHEAD