tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-51681637550925026102012-01-18T16:18:40.914-05:00climbing and bouldering in western north carolina (WNC)Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.comBlogger1801100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-66597048360445655512011-07-10T11:25:00.001-04:002011-07-10T11:30:50.211-04:00

Leading BOG Man, 5.10c, Ship Rock Photo, Zach Lesch-Huie In the last couple of weeks I've been getting out a good bit to do some rope climbing here in the High Country. I've been totally psyched because my left shoulder keeps feeling better and better even as I push it on the grades a little more each week. That's not to say my shoulders are perfect (now the right one is more tweaky)--after

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-55005254857151363032011-06-19T11:39:00.004-04:002011-06-19T15:54:19.823-04:00

Leading Harpoon (5.10) at Ship Rock. Photo, Matt de Camara. While I've been putting a lot of time and all of my recent posts up on Cruxn, it's nice to come back to the personal blog for things that the greater masses don't want to hear about or don't care much about. Like my ongoing battles with injuries. Which is what this post is about--because, for the first time in almost 2 years, I'm

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-17059714270855719942011-03-09T23:54:00.001-05:002011-03-09T23:55:34.794-05:00

We've been hard at work on Cruxn.com this month and I feel like it's starting to gain some traction. It's really exciting stuff to see that people get benefits of the concept and are responding positively. The downside is I've been ignoring this site. But it's not forgotten, just on the back burner for the moment. You can find my new Cruxn.com posts at this address: cruxn.com/author/mattpaden/

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-44864875081531955872011-02-23T10:27:00.007-05:002011-02-23T16:24:40.649-05:00

Well, the cat's pretty much out of the bag on the new website we've been working on, Cruxn.com, so I'm going to go ahead and post about it. Thanks to everybody who's checked it out already! Cruxn.com has been a collaborative effort with Matt de Camara and Zachary Lesch-Huie. We wanted to come up with a better way for climbing bloggers to pool together and increase readership and community. We

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-9975985440755630842011-02-15T11:20:00.001-05:002011-02-15T11:21:04.079-05:00

At the moment I kind of feel like a bad parent who is ignoring the oldest child (this blog) to take care of the new kid (my latest climbing website project). Just wanted to throw a quick note out there that the new site is just about to "soft launch" in the next week and I'll be posting a link and information about it here. Also, I recently discovered the similarity between the site's old logo

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-87013396597822032772011-01-28T11:06:00.001-05:002011-01-28T11:07:17.981-05:00

Yeah, it's true, I've only posted like one time this month. Weak sauce, right? Well, at least I've got a decent excuse. Me and a couple of climbing pals are working on a new website project we're really excited about, and it's been taking what little free time I have after my days and nights of grad school misadventures. What's the new project? I can't say quite yet cuz it's still in the

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-85375256421313395792011-01-14T13:23:00.000-05:002011-01-14T11:00:18.596-05:00

Yeah, what happened to the bouldering circuit? Nowadays, the mighty 'project' reigns supreme. Projects, projects, projects. It's one of the most common words you'll hear out in the boulder field or at the crag. "Did you do your project man?" Singular feats of peak performance have trumped the ensemble experience. I've tried to think of an analogy from another outdoor sport. The emphasis in

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-41172202139148063802011-01-08T13:35:00.004-05:002011-01-10T09:32:43.166-05:00

Seeing as how there's almost a foot of snow on the ground here in Boone today, I'm feeling pretty lucky that we got out last week on New Year's Eve for a trip to RB. There was a big crew of folks in the parking lot and it was good to catch up with some folks from Asheville i haven't seen in months. We started the day warming up on the West Side at the Gateway boulders, moved on to Shady Grove,

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-86706096867730763022010-12-29T11:47:00.001-05:002010-12-29T11:48:36.622-05:00

I've learned that you have to be somewhat philosophical about climbing roadtrips in the SE in the wintertime. Really, if you get in a few good days, yous should be content, even if you were planning on a solid week of climbing. The weather can change so damn fast and there's a small margin between just-right temps and it being too damn cold. You can probably see what I'm leading up to. We had

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-64790037174161504492010-12-22T12:59:00.001-05:002010-12-22T12:59:33.410-05:00

This is gonna be a short post cuz I'm writing from my phone. And my hand gets numb from writing on this tiny keypad after about 20 seconds. But we got one great day in at lrc on Monday. The weather was perfect and the shoulder is really on the mend I think: I climbed 2 v4s and a few v3s. This is a big improvement over the summer when I was doing v0s. The best climb I did was called mystery

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-17263634958710281712010-12-19T11:54:00.000-05:002010-12-19T11:54:39.028-05:00

Finally, the semester is over, as is the requisite week break to chill out and come down from all of the stress. But after a week of sitting around in the snow in Boone, it's time to hit the road. Me and Melissa are going to Chattanooga and maybe HP40 for the next few days before Christmas. Finally, we're getting some climbing in. I'll be posting from the road at various times. The weather is

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-11998156815352756622010-12-15T14:18:00.003-05:002010-12-15T14:27:52.570-05:00

The Triple Crown Bouldering Series has come and gone and along with it, Andrew Kornylak's excellent promotional Beta Series. That series' final installment seems to have flown under the radar, but in some ways, it's the best one. Kornylak even said as much at the last Triple Crown event in Chattanooga. Filmed at Stone Fort/Little Rock City, it's called "Long Ways Down." Take a look, and see if

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-50949135533148596512010-12-07T08:34:00.003-05:002010-12-07T14:06:41.449-05:00

Climbers did a fantastic job of making themselves heard in the first round of the Chimney Rock State Park planning process. Now, the draft master plan for Chimney Rock State Park is out and open for comments. Would you like to see additional climbing areas open throughout the park, besides Rumbling Bald? If you like climbing at Rumbling Bald, and would like to see climbing in other additional

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-15362328917096024292010-11-30T20:46:00.000-05:002010-11-30T20:46:12.487-05:00

Thanks to any and all who still may be coming to Frixtion looking for new posts--just hang in there with me! The semester is over next week and I'm cooking up some road trip plans for the holiday break, including Chattanooga and Horse Pens, so I should have some fun stuff to share soon. Right now the only thing I could share with you is info on my Neuroanatomy final. If that's your bag, let me

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-91765479231300641752010-11-12T19:14:00.011-05:002010-11-16T13:02:22.541-05:00

Wouldn't that be the day? Like American football, we'd sit on our couch eating potato chips, cheering on the International Sport Climbing World Cup competitors. Everyone would know the climbers' stats, their top sends, their strengths and weaknesses.Sound crazy? It's not a total pipe dream sports fans. Once again, the mighty internet brings the future to us faster than we can ask for it. Most of

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-22525700808359713162010-11-12T08:28:00.002-05:002010-11-12T08:50:26.843-05:00

When I woke up and checked the blog this morning, there were ads running through the rotating images I usually have at the top of the page. Somehow a virus hacked the code running the javascript and started mucking it up with ads. So, for now, I'm having to just default to a simple logo for a while until I figure out what caused it and how I can fix it. Bummer. This is the last thing I need right

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-30647141708293705482010-11-09T08:51:00.003-05:002010-11-09T09:26:29.149-05:00

Well, I wish I was there. I had to work on Saturday and couldn't make it down to Horse Pens for the second leg of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series. I heard it was a blast as usual, with some naughty behavior on the award ceremony stage (as usual?). A welcome change this year must have been the cooler temperatures. Results from the comp are up on the Triple Crown site, along with a link to an

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-60327075004215369932010-11-03T13:13:00.006-04:002010-11-03T13:35:54.085-04:00

Matt de Camara and his Far From Home Productions have gone from grassroots, garage-punk climbing films to something truly professional. A while ago I mentioned a trip I took with him and the Appalachian State University (ASU) climbing team to the boulders at Rumbling Bald. Well, the fruit of that trip, and Matt's labor, has been born. Following their visit to the boulders, which Matt documented

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-90361515951289808332010-10-29T16:08:00.000-04:002010-10-29T16:08:52.660-04:00

The “holy grail” of approach shoe design allows for optimum comfort, traction, and load stability on the approach, while still being technical and sticky enough to climb a moderate route once you get to the rock. Usually, if a shoe is built with a lot of comfort and load stability in mind, you lose out on climbabilty. On the flipside, a thin, sensitive approach shoe might

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-33974787636990069882010-10-29T09:45:00.008-04:002010-10-29T15:20:20.959-04:00

This photo reminds me of the story of David and Goliath (photo from Ukclimbing.com).Chatting with one of my taller climber buddies recently, we both hit on a shared nerve: short climbers complaining about, or using as an excuse, their lack of height and reach. Admittedly, some rocks favor a taller person with more reach. However, what doesn't often get noticed or said is that other rocks favor a

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-79224527066662060822010-10-26T10:25:00.008-04:002010-10-26T15:29:37.362-04:00

This may be the most promising climbing competition format ever. It's kind of like competitive sport climbing meets--I hate to say it--American Gladiators. Oh well, it looks like quite the successful spectacle. Hosted in downtown Barcelona, apparently thousands of people watched the event.ZLHShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href});

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-61141464821343698282010-10-25T13:10:00.004-04:002010-10-26T09:05:53.633-04:00

From the mind of filmmaker Matt de Camara:CORE Promo #2 from Matt de Camara on Vimeo.ZLHShareThis-ZLHvar shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href});shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById("ck_sharethis"));shared_object.attachChicklet("email", document.getElementById("ck_email"));shared_object.attachChicklet("facebook",

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-51450879843098979212010-10-21T11:58:00.006-04:002010-10-21T13:56:29.179-04:00

Midterms are finally over, thank gawd, and fall break has begun. Aside from hopefully catching up on sleep, cleaning, and climbing, I've finally got some time to also catch up on the posts I've been putting to the side while studying for Neuroanatomy (ugh--if you ever need to know where your hypothalamus or inferior peduncle is, I'm yer guy). Anyway, I went out to Misty Mountain Threadwork's

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-20577695727040415412010-10-21T10:25:00.006-04:002010-10-21T10:51:39.576-04:00

Andrew Kornylak just busted out the next Triple Crown Beta Series video. As usual, the quality of this Kornylak film is outstanding. The problems shown look really good too. I've never been on the second problem shown, Short Long V7, but the steep moves look like wicked fun. The first problem featured, Honky Tonkin V4, is among my favorites at Horse Pens. It's a blunt arete, with ideal movement

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-54418421720464036252010-10-20T15:24:00.003-04:002010-10-20T15:35:32.615-04:00

CORE Promo #1 from Matt de Camara on Vimeo.ZLHShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href});shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById("ck_sharethis"));shared_object.attachChicklet("email", document.getElementById("ck_email"));shared_object.attachChicklet("facebook", document.getElementById("ck_facebook"));

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-79380615078239627672010-10-18T15:38:00.005-04:002010-10-18T15:45:41.356-04:00

Jordan Shipman of Louder Than 11 showed up to the Hound Ears comp and made a solid little highlight reel. Check out the little kid pressing out a mantel. Turn the bass up and enjoy.Triple Crown 2010 - Hound Ears from Louder Than 11 on Vimeo.ZLHShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href});shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById(

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-81764784433724046322010-10-15T09:43:00.001-04:002010-10-15T10:05:46.136-04:00

It's been a helluva a week at school. It's the week before midterms and some professors seem to like the idea of giving a test one week and then a midterm test the next. Go figure. So that's why I've been dragging my butt on getting the Misty post together, but it should be wrapped up very soon. Meanwhile, I was scoping out some other blogs in my "free time" and came across a great post on Erich

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-44395273673718580122010-10-15T08:41:00.006-04:002010-10-15T09:00:17.392-04:00

Temperatures are cooling down. The rocks are starting to get that fantastically sticky velcro feeling. Young boulder toads are hopping around the boulderfields of Boone, tearing things up.One such climber is Alex Savage. On an extended road trip, I met him at the Triple Crown Hound Ears event. Alex is a very accomplished boulderer, but you'd never know it. Friendly and unassuming, he stuck around

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-14655932941774284152010-10-13T14:48:00.011-04:002010-10-13T15:33:58.731-04:00

I went to Rumbling Bald this past Sunday to help my friend Matt de Camara film the ASU Climbing Team bouldering on the CCC-owned tract of boulders. The ASU team is co-presenting Chuck Fryberger's film CORE in Boone on November 2nd (7:30 pm, IG Greer Theater), and helping to raise funds for the Rumbling Bald boulders. Because they're helping the CCC out, we thought it might make a nice way to

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-73231531559495131852010-10-10T17:03:00.002-04:002010-10-10T21:20:19.923-04:00

This weekend was the peak of the fall colors here in the High Country and the weather was absolutely incredible--warm and sunny the whole time (while the rock remained crisp many places). The traffic was also at its peak. I tried to get to the Parkway via 221 from Linville and had to turn around because of the traffic jam from tourists trying to get into Grandfather Mountain (above). I also had

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-18718423306003869302010-10-08T21:30:00.000-04:002010-10-08T21:30:34.980-04:00

Thanks to everybody who "liked" the Frixtion facebook page I set up a few months back. I decided to take that page down so I could put up a new one tied to its own account (the old one was part of my personal account). Anyway, I put in a new Facebook box on the right of this page, so "like" away if it pleases thee. Thanks! ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title:

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-54270323607601028582010-10-08T13:37:00.011-04:002010-10-08T14:36:08.949-04:00

Check out Spanish climbers Iker and Eneko Pou in what might be my favorite climbing film series yet. Here's the first one, but be sure to watch them all. SOLO PER VECCHI GUERRIERI - IKER & ENEKO POU 1 from ItalianTREK.com on Vimeo.The quality is so top-notch, and the clear appreciation of climbing history and heritage so refreshing, that there's nothing not to like.One highlight for me was

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-26752872736325676512010-10-07T09:29:00.000-04:002010-10-07T09:29:33.566-04:00

At the very end of the day on Saturday, my friend Ben Newton from Asheville decided to give Disasteroid (V6) a try. This is one of the brand-spanking new problems down at the creek boulders. Ben had been climbing all day and still really went for it...but the blank mantle top out was a bit of a challenge. I give him props for digging deep and finishing the line. ShareThis var

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-61798559892580227332010-10-06T20:36:00.001-04:002010-10-06T22:42:54.663-04:00

Wow, I just saw the great pics that Eric Heistand took at the Hound Ears comp. We kept running into each other over the course of the day, each of us trying to find interesting angles and good shots. Eric obviously has some amazing talent (and actually has a handle on accurate exposure, unlike me most of the time!). He also does a really nice job capturing the "lifestyle" moments that happen

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-14659781459188706282010-10-06T16:05:00.019-04:002010-10-29T09:41:47.964-04:00

From Ukclimbing.comChatting with one of my taller climber buddies recently, we both hit on a shared nerve: short climbers complaining about, or using as an excuse, their lack of height and reach. Admittedly, some rocks favor a taller person with more reach. However, what doesn't often get noticed or said is that other rocks favor a shorter person, with less reach. And what never gets acknowledged

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-8543896115457879882010-10-06T08:51:00.002-04:002010-10-06T19:40:31.030-04:00

From Friksn Climbing Apparel Well, the Frixtion blog team got some of these shirts at the comp and can tell you they are comfy and cut to make you look good. They're now available for order over at the Carolina Climbers' Coalition site. Word there is numbers are running a bit low, but more are coming in soon. Price is $20, with your money going to saving classics like French Maid, Karma Police,

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-85972640939095709122010-10-05T13:42:00.003-04:002010-10-05T13:53:14.781-04:00

Did you make it onto the podium at Hound Ears? Go to http://www.triplecrownbouldering.com/results.htm to see the winners for the first leg of the Triple Crown Series. A couple special mentions: congrats to the Star Chasers and Premium Blenders for chasing boulder problem quality over V-grade quantity. Props to the first place winner in the Ancient Hardperson Category who nearly scored as well as

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-64974174263631038472010-10-04T20:11:00.000-04:002010-10-04T20:11:45.337-04:00

I keep working on the photos from Saturday as I have time. The slideshow above now has about 20 more images in it from the comp on Saturday, plus the ones from the earlier post. There's enough new ones in there that you won't be bored if you saw the last slideshow. A lot of these pics are now running on climbing.com here, which is pretty cool. If I can't climb because of this durn injury it's

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-83672475658252575182010-10-04T09:11:00.004-04:002010-10-04T09:55:43.392-04:00

Hopefully I'll have time later today to flush out this post on Hound Ears. Until then, I thought I'd get up some of the best photos from the day. I think shooting a bouldering comp poses some unique challenges: mixed lighting that changes as soon as you move from a problem to the one right next to it, tons of people in the foreground and background cluttering the scene, people cycling through

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-39278164267344639212010-10-03T15:05:00.003-04:002010-10-06T22:40:29.718-04:00

From 2010.10.Hound Ears I'm still recovering from the all-day and into-the-night event that is Hound Ears. This is a quick post so I'll just say it was an amazing day. The weather was perfect, the climbers were all psyched, and the worst injury of the day was a turned ankle. So all in all, a great time. One of the highlights for me was getting to take pics while about 3 or 4 strong climbers

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-60007648290246884512010-10-01T22:40:00.000-04:002010-10-01T22:40:11.250-04:00

I was out at Hound Ears helping clean up in preparation for the comp today and I got to see a new area that's just been developed called the Creek Boulders. For you point-hungry monkeys, there's a new project there with a proposed grade of V10 awaiting someone with some burly (campus?) skills. It'll net you over 1400 points if you send. It's open season! ShareThis var shared_object =

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-16019606993396425962010-09-30T18:56:00.002-04:002010-09-30T19:07:20.212-04:00

I was just checking out local climber Pat Goodman's blog and came across this video of him climbing in the Sierra. I used to work in Yosemite every summer during college, and escaping the heat and crowds of the Valley meant heading for the peaks and walls of the high country. I did a fair amount of unroped climbing (which is what you'll see Pat doing in this video) on the easy (but amazing)

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-77752369670478761432010-09-29T19:56:00.000-04:002010-09-29T19:56:09.556-04:00

For you folks living in Boone: Please join us for the annual fall meeting of the CCC. The meeting will be at the Foscoe Community Center, right next the the campground for Hound Ears. We will be providing updates from the various area reps, a status report on the CCC and having our usual round of lively discussion. Members and future members are welcome! When: October 1st, 2010 7:30 PM

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-55222141577629167332010-09-29T19:47:00.000-04:002010-09-29T19:47:20.084-04:00

In a special promotion for 2010, La Sportiva will be offering 100 limited edition tech tees (a unique one for each comp- Hound Ears, Horse Pens, Stone Fort) for sale at each event. For this year’s series, tees will be on sale at the La Sportiva booth for $15 each with all the proceeds going to the SCC. The tech tees, produced by Green Layer Sports, offer a breathable blend of 51% bamboo charcoal

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-44808048299435927892010-09-29T07:47:00.000-04:002010-09-29T07:47:31.053-04:00

This Beta series of bouldering videos by Andrew Kornylak is so well done: they're a great mix of local personality and interesting climbing. Here's another one to continue the psych leading up to the Hound Ears comp this weekend. ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href }); shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById(

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-11325657427011859302010-09-29T06:00:00.007-04:002010-09-29T12:57:23.661-04:00

From climbing.de No, we're not talking about some rotten punk band. Rotpunkt, German for redpoint, is a term known and used the world over by rock climbers. A commonplace idea, we use the word habitually and take it for granted as describing the baseline of achievement for roped freeclimbing ascents. Yet surprisingly few climbers know the term's history, who invented it, and how it came to

zachary lesch-huiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11505291889378523691noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-29973272964832895202010-09-28T21:20:00.003-04:002010-09-28T23:41:11.515-04:00

This site is worth checking out, especially the video on shoulder exercises. Some of these are the exact same exercises my PT gave me this past year. Don't be fooled by the small weights. These exercises will get you pumped and work your shoulders in ways they don't normally get used--which is good for us, even if it ain't fun, like eating our veggies. Here's the link: http://

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-33397880833400319902010-09-27T21:40:00.000-04:002010-09-27T21:40:28.552-04:00

Special thanks to guest blogger Zachary Lesch-Huie. Zachary's a Boone local, volunteer for the CCC, advocate for land conservency, and a solid climber ta boot. Some folks also say he's a helluva a nice guy. This is his report on the volunteer work at Grandfather this weekend, where us climber folk would one day love to have access.From the photos it looks like they had a pretty wild day... --

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-8491960024121239772010-09-27T18:04:00.003-04:002010-09-27T18:38:27.945-04:00

In preparation for Hound Ears this weekend, here's a really nicely-produced video showing a few classic lines from the perspective of a strong local. Also, check out my list of tips for the comp after the video. For anyone coming to the comp, hope you've been sanding your fingers and eating your Wheaties. Hound Ear is tons of fun but it'll kick yer butt at the same time. Every year I've

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-10394492063659550332010-09-24T21:33:00.002-04:002010-09-24T23:06:28.527-04:00

I just got the La Sportiva Boulder Xs about a week ago, and so far I'm really digging them. Lately I've been wearing a pair of beatup old trail running shoes on campus and for climbing approaches, so I'm psyched to have a shoe with some more support and that's more geared towards actual rock endeavors. So far I've just been breaking them in and will do a full review in about a month after I've

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-8095445228133107822010-09-20T10:16:00.000-04:002010-09-20T10:16:54.552-04:00

Join other area climbers on Saturday, September 25th for a service day of trail and campsite maintenance at Grandfather Mountain State Park. Grandfather has long been closed to climbing and this good will gesture is an effort to improve relations between climbers and the new park, and show that we climbers are a responsible and conscientious user group. Here's the lowdown from Phil Trew who has

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-39628568532119096362010-09-18T13:31:00.001-04:002010-09-18T13:34:52.578-04:00

The 2010 Reel Rock tour came through town this weekend and it was a great collection of vids. The people who put it together did a great job showing the gamut of hard bouldering, hard sport climbing, scary trad, alpine speed climbing craziness, and some freaky free soloing (or "free basing", wherein he climbs with a parachute) by Dean Potter. It was a perfect blend that never got boring. One of

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-26866315392733134652010-09-14T20:40:00.001-04:002010-09-14T20:42:43.839-04:00

Right now my apartment looks like a cross between a retirement home and a new-age health center. I'm taking prescription pills, multivitamins, over-the-counter drugs, and supplements. I'm also rocking the ice packs and PT bands. Give me another week and it'll probably smell like Ben-Gay up in here, too. On the new age side, I've got my yoga mat and a back buddy. I'm trying everything I can think

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-77419736713077358672010-09-12T13:17:00.000-04:002010-09-12T13:17:12.666-04:00

Have I beaten a dead horse yet in saying how much I love being back in Boone? Even though classes are a total butt kicker right now and we don't get out of classes until 5pm, there's still enough time to get out and climb since there is so much stuff nearby. Recently, Melissa and I have been running near the parkway and then hitting up Holloway Mountian Road, which has a fun, albeit short, cliff

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-11928340097883894922010-09-09T12:37:00.003-04:002010-09-09T12:42:35.356-04:00

I began working on this project a few months back and totally spaced on it since moving and starting school. Since I just remembered it, I figured I'd finally "go live" with it. I used Blogger's blog feed tool to set up a page dedicated to collecting climbing blogs. What I have now is just the start--I just started pulling from my favorites and other random blogs I found online--so if you have

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-78726722388244834132010-09-09T10:15:00.001-04:002010-09-09T12:15:09.801-04:00

Looking for something fun to do on the weekend of September 25th & 26th? The usual Adopt-A-Crag event at Looking Glass is now going to be a weekend-long event. Here's the info from the CCC website: This year Fox Mountain Guides is expanding the classic Looking Glass Rock ‘Adopt-A-Crag’ trail day into a weekend long event for climbers from across the Southeast region to get together and to raise

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-61283770289825060922010-09-07T22:51:00.001-04:002010-09-08T07:56:10.333-04:00

During my first week on campus I noticed a bunch of outdoorsy-looking undergrads hanging around a couple of slacklines they had set up on the grassy quad. I'd only tried slacklining once before years ago, but I figured what the hell else is college for if not trying new things (and falling on your ass in front of hundreds of people)? So I talked to the guys, jumped on the line, and preceded to

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-66926924467651558522010-09-03T13:54:00.001-04:002010-09-03T13:58:53.613-04:00

Before I get going on my post about our recent rip to Table Rock last weekend, I want to say that it's been busy as hell lately with starting school, and things are only going to pick up from here! So apologies in advance if my posts get a bit more rare. I love blogging on climbing and will try to update on my adventures as much as I can. But if it comes down to having the time to either go

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-52523815514450080152010-08-27T15:44:00.000-04:002010-08-27T15:44:18.155-04:00

This was the first week of classes for my Master's degree in Speech Therapy at ASU. So far, so good, but it's gonna be a hell of a semester. Both Melissa and me are taking 17 graduate hours and we have jobs as GAs 10 hours a week. Luckily, Boone is loaded with tons of closeby climbing. I've already been overdoing it, especially since I can walk to a few boulders from my house. (It doesn't get

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-88770133183920381162010-08-27T14:56:00.000-04:002010-08-27T14:56:49.626-04:00

It's nice to see that Rock & Ice is starting to jump into the multimedia game more. You should check out this video just to see the crazy geometric rock formations on some of the cliff's in Armenia. It looks like Devil's Tower on speed. Amazing Armenian Rock Climbing from Rock & Ice on Vimeo. ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url:

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-41545251544249262582010-08-17T21:01:00.001-04:002010-08-17T21:06:09.583-04:00

I'm a bit behind getting this post up since we went to Highlands last Sunday. One thing I've noticed about not sitting at a desk for work anymore is I have a lot less time for messing around on the internet and updating the blog. I've actually been enjoying getting away from the computer these last few weeks though. It's a good thing to do every once in awhile. Anyway, Highlands was a blast. I

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-22110915622660930482010-08-14T09:06:00.001-04:002010-08-14T09:11:37.556-04:00

Well, it's about time. Climbing has finally been proven to be the most attractive sport to women in a recent study by a British researcher. Now my main motivation for climbing is finally substantiated. We even beat out soccer players. Somehow, climbing also edged out "extreme sports" in the study. Huh? Oh, well. I won't let one minor detail tarnish this important (perhaps even groundbreaking)

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-76399333263487342812010-08-12T11:11:00.001-04:002010-08-12T18:06:06.285-04:00

I laughed my ass off watching this video...this hungover kid gets stuck in an offwidth and then actually craps himself. Poor guy. I can't help but repost it, though. Boogie 'til You Poop from Cedar Wright on Vimeo. ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href }); shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById("ck_sharethis"));

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-44674253593044327152010-08-11T16:13:00.000-04:002010-08-11T16:13:17.991-04:00

Okay, I've finally got some time to get caught up here on the blog. In the last two weeks I had to finish finals for sumer classes, move everything to Boone, drive back and clean the house for new renters, drive back to Boone with more stuff, then drive back to Asheville for my last days of work at Lark. It was busy. I did get to go out to the Walker Creek boulders one last time before I left

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-56817017715082767182010-07-30T11:16:00.004-04:002010-07-30T14:53:47.713-04:00

Know that it's with irony when I say that I love when non-climbers talk about climbing like they understand it. (Although I do relish how the misinformed always seem to have the strongest opinions because it can be very entertaining.) Case in point: an editorial in the Standard Examiner that had this to say about climbers in Arches National Park: "The fact is climbing areas such as Delicate Arch

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-90696931631146969012010-07-28T13:59:00.001-04:002010-07-28T14:00:10.628-04:00

I ultimately decided not to get the MRI that I was scheduled for. It may turn out that this was a bad call, but even with insurance the MRI was going to cost me at least $700 out of pocket. So far I've spent around $1000 out of pocket chasing dead ends and the idea of shelling out more right now is just too painful. Plus, Southeastern Sports Medicine pushed for the MRI way too quickly in my

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-25485914145840591582010-07-27T19:08:00.012-04:002010-07-28T20:56:23.748-04:00

Strange things pop into my mind while I’m trying to wake up in the morning. This morning, it was the ethical question posed above. Should soloists like Alex Honnold get paid by sponsors? After mulling it over for part of the morning I realized I have no final opinion on this, but I think it’s a great issue for debate. Update: Just found this great promo that shows some crazy soloing... Why?

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-86325002136788873102010-07-26T16:08:00.004-04:002010-07-26T18:31:26.375-04:00

Just wanted to give a quick nod to some folks who look like they're having a fun summer living the traveling climber lifestyle. Check out these blogs, but be warned: if you've been jonesing for a road trip, they'll only make things worse. In this first one, these folks have been on a full-on Western states cragging trip: http://dirtysouthclimbing.blogspot.com/ And Erich's been living at the

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-19022664461195152212010-07-22T22:55:00.007-04:002010-07-23T08:19:30.010-04:00

As I've been saying, this has kinda been the summer from hell so far: taking pre-reqs, working full-time 'til last week, fixing up and packing up my house, all in preparation for school (movin' next week!). There hasn't been much time to climb, which in some ways might be a hidden blessing. My shoulder is feeling better than it has in months. What with all of the stress, Melissa and I decided

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-87418799653928134162010-07-22T12:46:00.000-04:002010-07-22T12:46:09.847-04:00

I just spent the last week (not the whole week...just as time allowed) trying to figure out how to make the featured posts slider you now see at the top of the page. It let's me highlight content and popular posts so people can find stuff more easily on the site. Let me know what ya'll think or if you have any troubles viewing it. ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title:

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-68547987623162180242010-07-21T13:54:00.001-04:002010-07-21T13:55:22.594-04:00

Have some great photos you took of Rumbling Bald climbing on your computer? I was contacted this morning by the Rutherford County Tourism Board about a photo contest they are sponsoring. They are promoting the area through the contest, and asked specifically about climbing shots from Frixtion's readers. (But I'm sure they're also interested in any other shots you might have of the region.) So if

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-10767889712359674322010-07-18T11:55:00.003-04:002010-07-18T18:30:21.818-04:00

Now that the contest has settled down I've gotten the chance to revisit the short Facebook interview I had with Aaron Parlier, who has been developing the boulders at Grayson Highlands State Park. (For my original post on Grayson Highlands, click here.) Frixtion: What's the rock like at GHSP? Aaron: The GHSP boulders are Volcanic Rhyolite, which is completely unique in my experience, but

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-11936878085142292182010-07-15T12:23:00.001-04:002010-07-15T12:24:13.728-04:00

A forum on America's Great Outdoors Initiative will be 1-4 p.m. today in the Ferguson Auditorium at Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College. Here's some info from the Asheville Citizen-Times "Senior officials with the Obama administration also will be seeing — and hearing — about what's in Asheville's backyard during a listening session being convened today. More than 300 people are

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-50408357115020524992010-07-15T10:52:00.001-04:002010-07-15T10:52:57.992-04:00

I've gotta be honest. When I started this contest with Mike from Misty I really didn't know what to expect, and I have a feeling that Mike didn't either. But being the cool guy that he is, he jumped on board enthusiastically to support the CCC and offered to donate the Powerpack. Things got off to a bit of a slow start because of the 4th of July holiday weekend, but after that the fundraiser just

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-3605670243109487952010-07-14T14:48:00.005-04:002010-07-14T15:41:53.141-04:00

Thanks to Misty and the CCC I've really come to appreciate the value of social networking--Facebook definitely helped get the word out about the fundraiser. Therefore, I've decided to actually use my old Frixtion Twitter account, and I started a page on Facebook. Click on either of the icons out to the right if you'd like to get all social with me (I promise that's not as dirty as it sounds).

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-42722223855963827302010-07-14T10:21:00.001-04:002010-07-14T10:22:38.780-04:00

This fundraiser has been a great success so far. And today's the last day to enter, so anyone who wants to join in, help raise funds for Rumbling Bald, and have a chance to win some schwag--today's the day! (How does one correctly spell schwag?) I'll be announcing contest winners on the blog tomorrow morning, and I'll send emails to those folks who have won. Stay tuned! ShareThis var

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-84469657606212686252010-07-13T12:14:00.002-04:002010-07-13T12:15:34.277-04:00

Dang, ya'll! Yesterday when I updated the blog about the fundraiser we were just shy of $400. I made a very personal revelation that yes, I can be type-A at times, especially when it comes to climbing and saving some sweet boulders. It wasn't easy opening up like that. It was an Oprah couch moment for me. But with everyone's support, we've now raised over $500 for the Rumbling Bald fund. I guess

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-49989919519302014412010-07-13T12:00:00.000-04:002010-07-13T12:24:37.988-04:00

Since I've got like 2 weeks of insurance left I figured I might as well spend somebody else's money (well, mostly--I'm sure I'll get a co-pay bill soon) and get my shoulder and neck looked at by a sports medicine place. Prognosis: Not great. They want to do an MRI because they want to investigate the possibility of a labrum tear. That's right, a labrum tear. I tore this same muscle/ligament thing

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-77444310293983578842010-07-12T16:41:00.002-04:002010-07-12T16:52:20.562-04:00

We have a new winner in the longest-distance contributor category: this weekend someone donated from Bishop, CA. Word about the Bald must get around I guess, even to people with sick bouldering in their own backyards. Thanks to him and all other contributors near and far, we've raised $385 so far. That, my friends, is just awesome. There are just a few more days of the fundraiser left--it's over

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-76900917412398577472010-07-11T16:13:00.001-04:002010-07-13T17:35:31.604-04:00

Extreme Ironing...the next big thing at the X Games? Check out www.extremeironing.com for more. Or this ridiculous video (there's more on youtube if this doesn't sate your X ironing appetite...). For once, I'm at a loss for anything more to say. ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href }); shared_object.attachButton(

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-59775907774760446062010-07-09T17:27:00.001-04:002010-07-09T17:28:28.069-04:00

Sweeeeet. Thanks to a couple of great contributions made today, we just passed the $300 mark! This has gotten us past the halfway point for the CCC's summer goal of $500 for the Rumbling Bald fund. Nice work! A huge thanks goes out to everyone who has contributed so far. Everybody from me to Misty to the CCC is super appreciative and amped on the showing of support from the climbing community.

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-22270841306558188512010-07-07T14:00:00.001-04:002010-07-18T12:03:49.364-04:00

If this picture doesn't make you get psyched, check your pulse! photo by Aaron Parlier If you've been looking for a nearby summer adventure climbing destination, and you wanna escape these crazy record high temps, head for the high elevations of the Virginia mountains in Grayson Highland SP. According to Mountainproject.com, the elevation there is 5,089 feet. If I'm not mistaken, that is higher

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-66598769611074059392010-07-06T09:43:00.002-04:002010-07-06T11:27:37.636-04:00

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July weekend and got some climbing in. I practiced some aid climbing technique while finishing the paint job I started last fall on the exterior of my house. After 2 full days of painitng, I think I'm finally done with the project, and ready to climb A2 at least. The fundraiser went really well over the weekend! The internet's been out at my house all weekend

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-44104440305670428812010-07-02T10:10:00.003-04:002010-07-06T11:26:17.355-04:00

Win prizes! Win glory! It's Frixtion's very first contest and Misty Mountain has donated a Powerpack to award to one lucky donor! This contest is to help the Carolina Climbers' Coalition's summer fundraiser for the purchase of the Rumbling Bald West Side boulders. The short term goal is to raise an extra $500 this summer to match the $500 recently donated. Can't donate 500 big ones? Well, neither

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-18680575538285204082010-07-02T09:54:00.003-04:002010-07-02T09:56:44.314-04:00

I stumbled across John Gill's website this week. Yep, that venerable master of bouldering has a website and there's some cool stuff to be found. So far, the best I've seen is the "Origins of Bouldering" section (check it out here). You gotta see the pictures of British dudes cranking in what look like dinner jackets (no bare chested crushing in those days, I guess). But you gotta give those guys

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-79538834592434061612010-06-30T13:32:00.004-04:002010-06-30T13:34:56.485-04:00

I was surprised today to see Ethan Pringle's name pop up in Climbing.com's hot flashes section for getting the 3rd ascent of Australia's Wheel of Life (V15-ish). Last year Pringle sustained the same injury I had when I was 23--a torn labrum in the shoulder. And damn, has he bounced back fast. It took me over 2 years to fully recover. I guess he had a better PT. One part of his interview really

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-54776512433386302072010-06-29T15:59:00.003-04:002010-06-29T19:40:16.172-04:00

I started climbing about 15 years ago, which means I was climbing before I could even drive a car. I’ve had a lot of high and low points with climbing during that time. But regardless of the highs and lows, there’s one thing that remains constant (besides my obsession) and that’s technique. It’s not that I have great technique, but over 15 years you learn how to move with the rock, not against it

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-63897527884008603842010-06-28T17:20:00.002-04:002010-06-29T23:11:20.422-04:00

Please excuse the post title; it’s just the English major in me trying to be dramatic. Let me put it another way: This summer is kinda lame so far. I’m still working full-time and also taking two pre-req summer classes to prepare for grad school in the fall (one just finished last week, thank gawd). The only thing that’s getting me through is knowing I’ll be living back in Boone in a about a

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-17961623098885153242010-06-25T12:04:00.001-04:002010-06-25T12:05:44.500-04:00

The Big Ivy National Forest near Barnardsville offers the closest bouldering to Asheville (about 25 minutes or so) and it’s relatively cool in the summer months. There are also a lot of creeks to take a shallow dip in to cool off on summer days. If interested, you can also add some easy (but not terribly exciting) rope climbing in at Snake Den. The Barnardsville boulder The Barnardsville

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-33344449751061641022010-06-24T17:03:00.001-04:002010-06-24T17:04:46.020-04:00

This video is a really cool behind-the-scenes look at climbing photography. Lots of nice exposure, too. Check out those telephoto lenses! Crazy. Makes the rock climbing cameras I reviewed last week look dinky. ShareThis var shared_object = SHARETHIS.addEntry({ title: document.title, url: document.location.href }); shared_object.attachButton(document.getElementById("ck_sharethis"));

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-4920770852605755452010-06-23T15:42:00.002-04:002010-06-23T15:47:37.140-04:00

It's just come to my attention that today is the final day to make comments about future plans for the state park. If you want to be able to climb in places other than Rumbling Bald in the new Chimney Rock State Park, now's the time to speak up. As rock climbers, what will shape the park are our comments. Yes, our comments really are used for the planning process and if we want to be heard we

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-48302904018383094692010-06-22T22:16:00.003-04:002010-06-23T08:57:00.180-04:00

Used to be that when I googled Frixtion, this blog was one of the very few things that popped up. The biggest competition was the FriXion pen and some band with a facebook page. But now there's a new contender on the block using the the oh-so-clever mispelling. And he's--god forbid--one of those "rap artists"...only he's from England or something. He's like the Euro Eminem. But I figure I'm going

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-6972035296704462492010-06-22T16:43:00.004-04:002010-06-27T11:26:52.769-04:00

Snake Den appears in the 3rd edition of the Climber’s Guide to North Carolina by Thomas Kelley, but not in the new guidebook from Mountaineer’s press that has become the standard for the state. I went there briefly this weekend to teach Melissa how to rappel and thought it might be useful to put the topo online for those who can’t get a copy of the old book. They are online at Amazon, but they’

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-5068570793360906772010-06-21T10:27:00.010-04:002010-06-21T20:21:22.668-04:00

So I was thinking more this weekend about technology and how climbing ethics might have to change over time to accommodate for information gleaned before an attempt on a route. And that’s when I had a Nostradamus-like prediction: The Tech Point is soon upon us. Yes, the tech point. We all know red points, and pink points, and onsights, and flashes. But once ipads and the like start getting

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-36617175421083213322010-06-19T09:44:00.013-04:002010-06-21T10:29:46.556-04:00

Perhaps you've seen this, but I thought it was too interesting not to share: There's now a Red River Gorge climbing guide iphone app. The luddite in me thinks this is kinda weird, and goes against one of the main reasons for being in the woods climbing (which is to disentangle from the complications of the real world). But then there's a part of me that thinks, "Damn, that's pretty f-ing cool.

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-10099963689693953152010-06-18T23:20:00.000-04:002010-06-18T23:34:18.486-04:00

Ruh roh, I've tweaked the site again. I guess I get bored easily. But this look is pretty clean. It allows for big pictures. I like it. Maybe it'll stick around for awhile this time.

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-36519951049932658582010-06-18T08:48:00.003-04:002010-09-26T10:19:31.079-04:00

I’ve been thinking about getting a new camera for climbing lately because I’m pretty tired of lugging my big Canon Rebel around. It takes up a lot of room in a pack or pad and is something I’d rarely take up on a climb with me. So going small is key to me when choosing a new camera for climbing. And since I’ve been doing so much research, I thought I might as well share what I’m finding. The

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-37369121469902599202010-06-15T12:16:00.000-04:002010-06-15T14:16:24.054-04:00

I was surfing around Netflix this weekend trying to find an instant play movie to watch. This is usually a frustrating experience that takes about half the length of time it would take to watch a movie, and then me and Melissa end up watching some drivel like Lethal Weapon 3.But I was pretty enthused to come across ‘To the Limit,’ a German documentary about the Huber brothers’ attempt to break

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-28228411193518371702010-06-15T09:58:00.000-04:002010-06-15T10:02:03.666-04:00

According to the CCC website, Shortoff Mountain is open again to climbing after the seasonal falcon nesting closure. The usual closures at Looking Glass, Whitesides, Big Lost cove, and NC Wall are still in effect.

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5168163755092502610.post-64951614681582022132010-06-11T09:23:00.000-04:002010-06-11T09:30:42.911-04:00

I'm not a huge fan of comps or indoor climbing in general, but it's certainly an aspect of the sport that gets a lot of attention. I never really thought about who sets the routes for the mutants that will be climbing in these comps before, so this interview on B3bouldering.com with route setter Chris Danielson was interesting, especially when he says things like: "The third boulder was the least

Matt P.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10116320409678167827noreply@blogger.com0