Spring-Break Crush Fest 2013: Part 1

In celebration of completing my first semester of grad school and, due to some slight weather constraints here in sunny Edmonton, because I can't actually go climbing (sad, I know), I thought I'd do the next best thing and write about one of the most epic climbing trips I've had to date with my good buddy Jake Sahl.

Since it would potentially be our last big trip together for a while, we decided to go big and try to tick two of the most awesome multi-pitch routes in the country: The Original Route on the Rainbow Wall in Red Rocks, Nevada; and the famed Moonlight Buttress out in Zion National Park, Utah. What ensued was an epic saga of climbing adventure in which Part 1 will cover the climbing of the Rainbow Wall, Part 2 will cover Moonlight Buttress, and Part 3 an awesome cycling adventure through Utah that capped the trip. Will our two heroes make it back alive? We'll see...

Lander Wyoming: How I love thee, let me count the ways...

When I think of  major North American all-around climbing destinations there are a few big names that come to mind: Yosemite, Bishop, Boulder and Squamish. Well folks, recent events have led me to add another name to this list: Lander, Wyoming. Yep, I said it: Lander Wyoming should be added to the list of major climbing destinations in North America. Here's why:

Reminiscing on a Good Summer in Yosemite Valley, 2012

Since I haven't posted in a while and schools getting busy I figured I'd put up an essay I wrote a couple summers ago. When I wrote it I had just arrived in Spain after spending about seven weeks in the Valley. I was feeling lonely and wondering why I'd left the best place to climb in the world. It was about 3am, hot and humid as hell, I was sick, and the tiger mosquitoes wouldn't leave me alone (oh how pleasant the Spanish summertime can be). Anyways this is what resulted. I was pretty proud of it and it brings back some great memories, sorry if it's a little corny...

Step 1: Get Motivated

"A goal is not always meant to be reached, it often serves simply as something to aim at."
-Bruce Lee

I decided to begin my training articles with what I consider to be the most important part of any training plan: motivation. Without motivation there is no desire to improve and therefore finding motivation and keeping that motivation high is fundamental to improving in any discipline. In this article I will be referring to the discipline of climbing but the ideas behind it apply to whatever it is you personally desire to improve in (art, sports, uni-cycling, whatever). Here are a few things that I've found to be effective in maintaining motivation.

Wait how does this work again?

*Disclaimer: I do not condone doing stupid things and so if you do anything stupid that you can't handle it's your own fault and I take no responsibility for it.