Kevin Jorgeson

Injury Update

2011-10-22T09:08:00.000-07:00

A little over a week ago, I sustained a season ending ankle injury while climbing on pitch 15 of the Dawn Wall project on El Cap. There's not much more to say than that. I'm extremely disappointed to not be on the wall right now, pursuing this dream project and supporting Tommy.

The injury occurred while attempting the 8 foot sideways dyno on pitch 15. On my first attempt of the season, I threw with everything I had, hoping to stick the move with the muscle memory from last year. I made good contact with the hold and began to hold the swing. Usually, the left foot slides down the wall, stopping when it hits the corner and halting the swing. Instead of sliding, my foot stuck upon first contact, and rolled. It then continued to slide down the wall until it hit the corner and rolled again. I instantly knew something was wrong, but a combination of shock and denial clouded the pain enough for me to try a few more times, until I stuck the dyno.

Upon lowering to the belay, I knew something was terribly wrong. I called my amazing physio Vicki Chung from the wall and made an appointment for the next day. Less than 24 hours later, I was in her office getting checked out. An X-Ray revealed that it wasn't broken. Three appointments later, the swelling had gone down and we were able to get a good assessment of the damage: bruised bones and a combination of stretched and compressed ligaments. I should recover fully with time, but for now, any kind of inversion or eversion of the ankle is still painful with the joint itself feeling quite unstable thanks to the stretched ligaments. 4 weeks of no climbing.

Seeing Tommy's updates from the wall is surreal. I feel out of place without the exposure under my toes, chalk on my hands, the sounds of gear being clipped, the pain of those sharp holds under my fingers, and the monumental task at hand that we've been working for so long. Tommy of course is charging ahead, now with the support of his amazing wife Becca. Since October 2009, this has been a team effort. To be a member of a team is to act with selflessness in the name of success. If Tommy sends without me, I will be happy to have helped push this project to completion. If not, we will be back.

Go get it Tommy. Eye of the Tiger!

- KJ aka Hector

Reel Rock Film Tour Trailer!!

2011-09-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

The 2011 Reel Rock Film Tour Trailer is here!! Be sure to check it out and find a show near you!!

What is PCI?

2011-08-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

Here is a video about the non-profit I have been working on for the past two years. This video hardly captures everything we are doing, but it gives you an idea. For more information, visit our website: http://www.proclimbers.com

Pro Cycling from the view of a Pro Climber

2011-06-08T19:15:00.000-07:00

On May 18, I was invited as a guest of Team Radioshack to watch the exciting finish to Stage 4 of the Tour of California in San Jose, CA. Having missed the Tour of California coming through my home town of Santa Rosa for the past few years, I was stoked to go check it out, especially from a booth right next to the finish line!

Through my work with PCI, I am constantly comparing climbing to other sports in respect to their events, presentation, organization, fans, sponsors, athletes, and history. This day gave me a great glimpse into the world of professional cycling.

We arrived a few hours before the riders were anticipated to finish the stage and I was happy to see the area in total chaos. Sponsor banners still had to be hung, the finish line had to be erected, booths needed to be set up and cameras still had to get into place. The reason I was happy to see this was because I've been there. This time last year, together with The Spot, we produced The Battle in the Bubble. Event production is no joke. Talk about a logistical nightmare. However, it all seems to come together in the end, and it came together with hours to spare at the top of Sierra Road.

From the RadioShack booth, we were able to watch the race coming in live via satellite on a flat screen TV. It was great to talk with some of the families of the riders on Team RadioShack and hear what they were like as kids. We exchanged hospital visit stories in what turned out to be very similar childhoods filled with adventure and passion. The parents I talked to reminded me of my parents in a lot of ways as they described watching their child scrape their knees, break some bones, and pursue their passion to the fullest. Very cool.

From an event production standpoint, all I can say is "WOW." Consider the footprint of a bouldering event versus a pro cycling event. We are talking about the difference between covering the action that can fit in the corner of a small football field (bouldering) and one that needs to be followed by helicopter. Stage 4 of the Tour was the shortest stage at 81 miles in length between Livermore and San Jose. At any given time, the field of riders is spread across several miles of road, traveling between 10 and 60 miles per hour, and across who knows how many different jurisdictions. I counted no less than 3 helicopters following the action up the road.

Despite the scope of the event and all the media coverage, it was also interesting to hear a very similar conversation to what we hear with climbing: "growth," "going mainstream," "popularity," and "big sponsors." I've always said that PCI isn't trying to do anything new, just new for climbing. Attending this event really drove this point home for me. I heard the commentators talk about enhancing the quality of the media coverage over the years, slowly growing the fan base, slowly attracting and retaining new sponsors, and growing the number of athletes who attend each year. This is coming from a sport with 40 million participants in the United States alone. Compare this to the Sport/Indoor/Bouldering segment of "Climbing" which has 4.3 million participants and you start to get the picture of where climbing is on its potential growth curve.

National Geographic

2011-04-24T23:58:00.001-07:00

The May issue of National Geographic is on news stands and it features a great article on Yosemite climbing by Mark Jenkins with photography by Jimmy Chin. This past fall, Jimmy Chin and Renan Ozturk of Camp4Collective joined Tommy and I up on the wall for a week. The product of their talent and hard work is featured on the pages of Nat Geo and in several amazing videos available on the Nat Geo website.

If you don't have a physical copy, you can view scan of it thanks to Black Diamond via this link:

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/uploads/black-diamond/files/NatGeo.pdf

At the National Geographic website, you can see some exclusive videos, view the enlarged photos from the article, and read the full article (more easily than in the scan) via this link:

http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2011/05/yosemite-climbing/jenkins-text

Enjoy!

2011-04-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

As part of PCI's newly launched event booking service, I am happy to announce that I will be traveling to Dallas, TX from May 7-9th for three days of private lessons and a slideshow! We will be raffling off some great prizes, including a pair of Five Ten shoes and some apparel, so if you are in the area, come check this event out.

The slideshow I'm going to give is titled "If at first you don't succeed..." and is about something all climbers can relate to: failure. Progression cannot happen without failure. For over two years, Tommy Caldwell and I have battled bad weather, hard climbing and big wall logistics in our effort to free climb the hardest route on El Capitan, and one of the hardest in the world, The Dawn Wall. I'll be sharing what its like to dedicate years to a project and remain committed in the face of failure (and potential success!). With never before seen images from the upcoming issue of National Geographic, a teaser from Big UP Productions shoot of the Fall 2010 attempt, and awe inspiring photos from climbing's best photographers, you are guaranteed to be inspired.

When I'm not climbing, another one of my passions is teaching. I have been teaching technique and movement for the past 5 years and have worked with over 200 climbers of all abilities. My teaching style is one of efficiency and mechanics over strength and power. As both a veteran competitor and rock climber, I bring 14 years of experience to each and every lesson I teach. I love watching a climber's progression over the course of two hours. There's little more satisfying than sharing your experience with another person in a way that influences them in a positive way. VERY rewarding. If you're interested in taking a private lesson at Dallas Rocks between May 7 - 9th, go to the front desk for more information. I hope to see you all there!

Transporter Room 2nd Ascent

2011-04-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

It is a well known fact that the Buttermilks of Bishop, CA are known for their highballs. It only takes one visit, or one glance at a photograph, to realize how big the granite boulders are and how unique the geology is. However, had it not been for the events of the mid to late 1980's, and a climb called Transporter Room, the Buttermilks may be known for the country's shortest sport climbs instead.

From the history update to the latest edition of the Bishop Bouldering guidebook, Wills Young describes the scene at Buttermilks in the late 1980's and early 1990's:

"The Grandpa Peabody is a massive boulder by any standards and its east face is its most unrelenting. Sure, there are bigger free standing boulders in the world...but not many. The well-featured, steadily overhanging east face of this monster was once a top-rope project that Tom (formerly Tommy) Herbert had been working back in the early 1990's. Recognizing its beauty, he even named the line Ambrosia, food of the immortals, fitting with the Buttermilk theme. Herbert wrestled with the idea of bolting the face, knowing it would make a fine sport route. However, he had already set a precedent for the area: he had removed bolts once placed on the neighboring Transporter Room (5.12), as a point of protest against the sport-bolting of Buttermilk climbs. Bolting was not an option. Moreover, the Buttermilks was a lonely, surreal backwater at the time. No place to be seen. Or unseen. Consequently, Herbert moved on to cliffs elsewhere. He left the spectacular wall chalked but unclimbed. In a sense then, we have Herbert to thank for steering the Buttermilks to its current path, one that left the great unclimbed lines for future generations, sparing these climbs the humiliation of a one-way trip to rap-bolted obscurity. "

Dale Bard first explored Transporter Room as a boulder problem by bouldering up to an obvious flake at the 20 foot height before down climbing. In 19878/88, having never fully climbed Transporter Room, Dale bolted the climb for his girlfriend at the time, Bobbi Bensman (PS thanks for this background info/history Bobbi!). While Dale was sinking 5, 3/8" bolts in, there were two kids in the parking lot watching. When Dale got down, they started to give Dale a hard time, saying they were "going to tell Tommy (Tommy Herbert)," who was a staunch opponent to rap bolting. After listening to all this, Dale walked back up the hill, booted up, and soloed the first ascent of Transporter Room. Back at the parking lot, Dale apparently tells the kids, "There! Now it's a boulder problem!" and walked away. A few days later, Tommy chopped it and Transporter Room sunk into Buttermilks history as the first mega-highball of the area.

In 2007, I first rappelled off the top of Grandpa Peabody looking for Transporter Room. I was keen to see this piece of Buttermilk history and try my hand at it. Unknowingly, I rapped off the wrong anchors and down the face of what would become, a few years later, Ambrosia:

Photo by Jim Thornburg.

By the way, if you have not seen his book, Stone Mountains, you are missing out:

Fast forward to last week, I'm at the Buttermilks and wondering what to try. I remember Transporter Room and, knowing the correct line this time, rappel off to check it out. After a good scrub on rappel to wipe off almost 25 years of neglect, I was psyched to follow in Dale's footsteps.

The climbing is straightforward, yet interesting. After 20 feet of fun 5.12, you get to two BIG sloping hueco's in the middle of the wall. These features mark the edge of the steep climbing and the friction slab. After a balancy and finger intensive sequence, you are standing in the two hueco's and are able to look up at 30 feet of 5.10 granite friction! In the photo below, I am finishing the mantle off of the flake that Dale (presumably) down climbed from before deciding to bolt the climb.

Second Ascent of Transporter Room, 5.12/v5 X

In classic Buttermilk style, the climbing at the top is not terribly difficult, but demanding of your composure and footwork. Over 5 minutes after leaving the ground, I was elated to have made the second ascent of the original Buttermilks highball.

Honestly, I'm a little ashamed it's taken me this long to repeat Transporter Room! I don't mean that in a pretentious way either. I'm honestly disappointed in myself! It is a right of passage to complete the testpieces of the past...a nod of the hat if you will to the visionaries before us. Every time we (climbers under 30) start to think we are the shit, let us not forget: we stand (humbly and gratefully) on the shoulders of the climbers before us. Without their vision and balls, we would be nowhere near where we are today.

New Project!

2011-03-29T10:38:00.000-07:00

For some reason, it takes me a long time to accept a new project. In a purgatory of non-committment, an idea for a new line will sit for weeks, months, even years. Then, one day, a switch flips. I become obsessed. Usually this happens when I come to the realization that the project is possible. This is exactly what happened yesterday with a line I have been looking at for LONG time. It's right under our noses, just right of the quintessential highball, Evilution.

The Grandpa Peabody

Several seasons ago, Matt Birch made the first ascent of Social Distortion, a wicked hard 4 move v13 on the right side of the wall that drops off at an obvious flake. Anthony Chertudi repeated the feat, perhaps unknowing of Matt's ascent, naming it Blood Meridian and confirming the grade. Above the "heart" flake lies three moves that are just as hard, if not harder, to gain the lip. From here, a crazy sequence involving a heel hook above your head at the 20 foot level gets you to the last crux: 2 full length lock-offs with your feet above the lip. The first is a long left arm pull off of a half pad knob to a credit card razor. The next is taking the razor and pulling it down to your arm pit to gain a good edge, which you mantle to safety.

Dan Beall on Social Distortion, v13

Yesterday afternoon, I had a great session on the project, climbing through Social Distortion for the first time and falling on the first move off of the "heart" flake, which is a huge left hand move to an incut gaston. After getting boosted through Social Distortion, I was able to stick the next left hand move and fall after making the scrunchy hand-foot match. I think a little stretching is in order....

After focusing on the Dawn Wall for the last few years, it feels great to have a good 'ol bouldering project to sink my teeth into. The temperatures are warming up here in Bishop, but the evenings remain nice, so we'll see how it goes! Tonight, I'm going to keep working the upper half of the project, getting from the "heart" flake to the lip. If these moves go, then it's time to round out at least 16 pads (we had 12 yesterday and it wasn't even close to enough) and go for it!

Psyched!

Red Rock Rendezvous!!!

2011-03-13T15:18:00.000-07:00

Hey All! I'm very excited to be attending the Red Rock Rendezvous on behalf of Black Diamond next weekend! I've never been to the event before, but I've heard nothing but great things. I'll be teaching several bouldering clinics throughout the weekend, so if you're interested, be sure to sign up. I'll also be doing a slideshow to benefit the Access Fund and Las Vegas Climbers Liaison Counsel at Desert Rock Sports on Thursday, March 17th at 8pm. There will be a BBQ before hand and a raffle after the show, so be sure to come grab a bite to eat, enjoy the show, support the community, and maybe even win some sweet gear!

Hope to see you there!

2010-11-15T14:25:00.001-08:00

I won't be blogging much from the wall but you can follow our progress via Twitter @kjorgeson.

Here we go!

2010-11-12T19:15:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow morning, November 13, Tommy and I will hike to the base of El Cap. However, this time the familiar approach will feel definitively different. This time, we are not coming down at the end of the day. This time, it's for real. Our camps are stashed, our beta is refined, and the weather is clear. For the next two weeks, Tommy and I are finally beginning our send push. We call it a push because, after the first day, it will undoubtedly be a battle for every pitch.

Day 1 is one of most important days of the push. We will cover more ground on our first day than any other day over the next two weeks. Our plan is to climb the first 8 pitches, which break down like this:

Pitch 1: 5.12b glacier polished slab, KJ lead

KJ mini-traxioning Pitch 1 earlier this season

Pitch 2: 5.13a crack, TC lead

Pitch 3: 5.13d discontinuous cracks, KJ lead

KJ on the first crux of Pitch 3, November 2009, Tim Kemple Photo

Pitch 4: 5.12b corner and crack with wet streak at the top, TC lead

Pitch 5: 5.12d crack and lieback with wet sections throughout, KJ lead

Pitch 6: 5.13c corner and face, TC lead

Tommy on Pitch 6 in November 2009, Tim Kemple Photo

Pitch 7: 5.14a lieback with hard crux at the top, protected by peckers, KJ lead

Tommy on Pitch 7 in November 2009, Tim Kemple Photo

Pitch 8: 5.13+ boulder problem, TC lead

Camp is stashed at the top of pitch 8

Day 2 will consist of pitch 9, 5.13b, and hopefully a send of pitch 10, 5.14.

Pitch 9, 5.13b

Tommy mini-traxioning the bottom of Pitch 10

After day two and the completion of pitch 10 (which is a monster), we will likely be spending one day for each pitch thereafter with rest days mixed in. Pitches 12, 13, 14, and 15 are all 5.14, and solid at that. This effort is the culmination of roughly 65 days of work over three season. I don't think I'm going to sleep well tonight, but only because I can't wait to get started. I'll do my best to update from the wall as we make progress.

2010-11-03T11:11:00.001-07:00

Ledge life...

Pitch 16: The Dyno

2010-10-18T12:33:00.000-07:00

It's October 18th already! Where has the time gone!? After my birthday, Tommy and I got right to work by hiking up the East Ledges and establishing our basecamp on Wino Tower. Despite the seasonal early October storm, the weather has remained warm (80's!), far too hot to work on these tough pitches in the daylight. This was no surprise however. We planned on doing a lot of night climbing this season and that's exactly what we've been doing. About 4pm every day, the wall goes into the shade. We'll eat a big dinner and rappel off Wino Tower to work on the 4 pitches below us (pitch 16: 5.14, pitch 17: 5.13c, pitch 18: 5.13c or d and pitch 19: 5.13c). Climbing at night has worked out great. It's quiet, cool, and time seems to stand still. Hours will pass in the solitude of your headlamp and thoughts before arriving back at Wino Tower sometime in the middle of the night.

During our last two day stint on the wall, Tommy and I focused on the "Dyno Pitch." This pitch features three distinct cruxes: the dyno (obviously), the super thin dihedral directly above, and the crimp liebacking at the top. On the first night (we've been climbing from 5pm - 1am lately for optimal conditions), we worked out a great sequence for the dihedral and liebacking. Tommy linked the pitch from above the dyno to the top and I managed from the middle of the dihedral to the top. This was a huge breakthrough for both of us. The next morning was cloudy and windy, so we had the treat of climbing in the daylight. When Tommy said he wanted to work on the dyno that day, I wasn't so sure. But, after a few cups of coffee, I could hardly contain myself. Our buddy Cooper Blackhurst was with us and snapped a few photos of the dyno...

The Set Up

The Leap!!

The Catch

To my great surprise, my body remembered how to execute the move, and within a few tries, I was sticking the dyno! This was a great relief for me, as this is one more of seven 5.14 pitches that is feeling more and more feasible with every attempt. Where Tommy excels at super technical climbing, I guess I can jump. Tommy came close to sticking the move at least 15 times, but alas, no dice. I'm not too worried though. He'll stick it. And when he does, we'll turn our attention to the MEAT of the climb: the two traverse pitches between Mescalito and The Wall of Early Morning Light.

2010-10-12T09:36:00.001-07:00

For the last 11 years, I have been spending my birthday in Yosemite. The tradition started on my 16th birthday and has since grown to a great community trip of my closest friends and family. To everyone who made it out, thanks for making it a great birthday. To those who didn't make it, you were missed!

2010-10-12T09:23:00.001-07:00

It's that time of year again: Valley season! Tommy and I will be in Yosemite for all of October and November trying to finish off the Dawn Wall/Mescalito Project. I'm packing up everything I need for the next two months: ropes, fresh shoes, haul bags, rack, tons of chalk, and a whole summer's worth of psyche. I think about El Cap every day. I even dreamt about the first traverse pitch a couple nights ago. The pitch ends standing at a no hands rest on a 9 inch wide foot ledge. You're smack in the middle of the blankest part of the wall, surrounded by a sea of granite, strangely comfortable. In my dream, I made it through all the cruxes and was rocking onto the foot ledge (also quite hard) when I finally stood up, only to realize that I was so precariously perched I couldn't reach to clip the anchors without falling! Noooooooo!!!! While in Colorado this summer, Tommy and I did a long interview with Dougald McDonald in Estes Park. The interview and photos (from Tim Kemple and Corey Rich) just hit the newstands in the October issue of Climbing Magazine. I was worried about all the press this project has been receiving, especially considering the fact that it is still a project. I didn't want it to create the expectation and pressure of completion. Instead, To my relief, it feels like there is an overwhelming level of support, energy and encouragement. This goes a long way when the going gets tough, so thank you.

All Access DVD

2010-05-04T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hey all,

I just caught wind the of that Petzl has teamed up with Access Fund to produce the All Access DVD, the proceeds of which benefit the AF 100%. I was happy to see that Chuck Fryberger donated my segment from PURE to the cause, as I have long been a supporter and member of the AF. Check out the press release below for full details.

Thanks!

Petzl Announces Release of All Access DVD
Filmmakers Rally to Support Conservation and Climbing; All Proceeds Dedicated to Keeping Climbing Areas Open

CLEARFIELD, Utah (April 22^nd, 2010) – Petzl, a leader in technical climbing gear and hands-free lighting, today announced the release of All Access, a compilation of climbing films from the industry’s top adventure filmmakers. All Access features ten original climbing films, with 100% of proceeds to benefit the Access Fund (www.accessfund.org) and its efforts toward keeping climbing areas open.

Last summer, several leading climbing manufacturers united to support the Access Fund Land Conservation Campaign, or AFLCC (www.accessfund.org/aflcc), the first-ever multi-million-dollar revolving loan program that provides local climbing organizations (LCOs) and other agencies with the funds and expertise needed to act quickly to save threatened climbing areas. Petzl was among the first to step up and contribute, taking a step further in committing to long-term investment in and support of the AFLCC.

To support the AFLCC, Petzl’s John Evans, an Access Fund Board member, decided to get creative, involving the climbing community at large and reaching beyond the trade for awareness and support. Evans solicited climbing filmmakers to contribute short, inspiring climbing films for the All Access compilation DVD.

“It was incredible how willing and motivated everyone was to commit to this project,” said Evans. “It is truly a community effort, and one with real impact -- an effort by climbers, for climbers, to keep climbing access a reality for everyone.”

Petzl committed to covering the production costs for each DVD, and the filmmakers agreed to donate their work for the effort, making the project viable.

All Access features the following films from a talented roster of climbing filmmakers:

Catching Reality – Emil Sergel

Hey Presto – Paul Diffley, Hot Aches Productions

Infinity Lane – TLC Productions

Medeoz – Guillaume Broust

PURE: Sonoma County with Kevin Jorgeson – Chuck Fryberger

Steph Davis – Sender Films

Steve McClure, Hubble – Ben Pritchard

Weeks Before Winter, featuring Chris Sharma – Mike Call

Plus a bonus film, Blind and Naked, by Cedar Wright, and an Access Fund message from Big Up Productions’ Josh Lowell.

“Access is an important issue that all climbers have in common,” said Chuck Fryberger, an All Access contributor. “This project was a great call to action for climbers and climbing filmmakers alike.”

A trailer of All Access can be viewed at http://vimeo.com/11468012

and the All Access DVD can be purchased through the Access Fund Store (www.accessfund.org/store) on Mountain Gear online (www.mgear.com), and at climbing festivals and events including the Banff Film Festival and the New River Rendezvous. Purchasing the DVD at a participating event will reward the buyer with instant gratification in the form of a free copy ofClimbing magazine.

About The Access Fund
Since 1991, the Access Fund is the national advocacy organization that keeps climbing areas open and conserves the climbing environment. The Access Fund supports and represents over 2.3 million climbers nationwide in all forms of climbing: rock climbing, ice climbing, mountaineering, and bouldering. Five core programs support the mission on national and local levels: climbing management policy, stewardship and conservation, local support and mobilization, land acquisition and protection, and education. For more information visit www.accessfund.org.

About Petzl
For over 50 years, Petzl has been developing innovative tools and techniques used by those entering the vertical world. Today, the Petzl brand is closely associated with adventure, exploration, rescue, and many notable exploits in the worlds of rock climbing and alpinism. Petzl climbing hardware and headlamps can be found in outdoor specialty shops and premium sporting goods retailers around the world. For more information, log on to www.petzl.com.

Boise bound

2010-05-02T11:14:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the road

Up and at em

2010-04-18T04:13:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the wall

Location:Yosemite Lodge Dr,Yosemite Valley,United States

More snow

2010-04-12T12:42:00.001-07:00

Arg....

How to rap in strong wind with a portaledge

2010-04-11T09:09:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the wall

CORE on Blue Ray

2010-04-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

I just got a note from Chuck Fryberger that his new film, CORE, is now available in Blu Ray! This is a first for climbing media! Click the link below to order your copy now!
http://www.bouldering.com/products/Core-Blu-Ray.html

Chuck and I shot together in South Africa last summer where I had the opportunity to explore the VAST potential for highball/solo first ascents. Chuck captured several of these for CORE, including:

Welcome to Rocklands

Put Some Bachar Into It

Be sure to check the tour schedule for a show near you: http://chuckfryberger.com/CORE_TCal.html

Check back often as new shows are being added daily! If you are around Sonoma County at the end of April, I will be hosting a premiere of CORE in Santa Rosa, CA at the Lakeside Rialto Cinema on the 27th at 7pm.

Battle in the Bubble

2010-04-01T14:27:00.000-07:00

It's coming. The Battle in the Bubble. May 14-15, 2010 in Boulder, Colorado. Professional Climbers International (PCI) and The Spot have teamed up to bring a fresh new competition format, amazing outdoor venue and the top athletes to Boulder for what is surely to be a very exciting event. Check out the videos:

"Battle in the Bubble" Pro Invitational from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

BATTLE IN THE BUBBLE Part Two with Daniel Woods from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

Whew!

2010-04-01T14:21:00.000-07:00

Well, the weather finally descended upon us and forced us off the wall for a few days. A decent sized storm came through the Sierras and dumped a lot of fresh snow. We are going to give it a few days for the ice to stop falling and the wall to dry out, then get back after it early next week. The verdict from the last trip up the wall was: it all goes. The Molar Traverse is an amazing, mega-classic, super hard pitch. But totally possible!

Matador Sports shot me an email while I was on the wall, asking about how the progress was coming. I just got the chance to answer the questions and the interview has been posted here: http://matadorsports.com/interview-kevin-jorgeson-on-free-climbing-el-caps-hardest-route

We'll be back.

Spring conditions

2010-03-27T18:42:00.001-07:00

Well, we knew we rolling the dice by coming this early in the season. We are the only ones on El Cap at the moment. The spring snow melt off the top starts raining down on us at 4pm each day, making us retreat back to the portaledge and fly. Not to worry though. We get up early each morning and push hard until it gets too wet. Today we worked on pitches 9 and 10, roughly 5.12+ and 5.14 respectively. Pitch 10 is a beautiful seam lieback that you can clealy see from the valley floor. Each move is harder than the last for the full 100 foot pitch. I'm looking forward to trying this pitch some more, as it's my anti-style. Once the rain started, I worked on the cruz of pitch 8, which happened to be directly below the portaledge and remained dry for 30 minutes longer than the rest o the wall. This section, being short and powerful, felt great! Tomorrow we venture up to check out the last unexplored pitch on the route: the Molar Traverse. Wish us luck! We're psyched!

- Posted from the wall

Dinner time

2010-03-26T20:56:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the wall

Heads up!

2010-03-26T17:38:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the wall

Finally on the wall

2010-03-26T17:31:00.001-07:00

At 1:30, we couldn't wait any longer and we started jugging our fixed lines. Even so, we were getting hit here and there with ice chunks. Nothing too big luckily. Just as we made it up to the top of our lines, the afternoon wind and snow melt rain started. This made setting up the portaledge interesting, but we got the fly on and now we're chilling out of the weather. I think we are going to put some rain gear on and aid the next pitch so that we are good to go in the morning to push higher. We'll see. Because of the conditions, I was only able to snap one picture on the way up of the gear that protects the crux of the 5.14 seventh pitch.

A pecker and a super old copperhead. Sort of equalized. Sweet!

More later or tomorrow.
KJ

- Posted from the wall

Heads up!

2010-03-26T09:58:00.001-07:00

It raining on and off all night last night and was quite cold. We are at the base right now where it is raining down chunks of ice. Some are the size of ice cubes and others look like flying guillotines. So, because are helmets are up inthe haul bags, we are playing it safe by hanging out in the forest a few hundred feet back from the base of the wall until the ice stops falling. Nice view though, no?

- Posted from the base of the wall, curled in the fetal position, waiting for the torment of raining ice to stop. Not really. But we are at the base.

Location:Wawona,United States

The Key

2010-03-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Packing for the wall. Photo by Tom Evans.

Hauling the bags up to the top of pitch 5, on our way to getting them up to pitch 8.

This route is BLANK. There are 2 ledges on the entire route. TWO. One on top of pitch 5 and one on top of pitch 17. Otherwise, it's totally sheer. Thank god for our portaledge!!

Tomorrow we are headed up for the next 4 days to explore the last 4 unclimbed pitches on the route. Tommy has aided through this section before, but its never seen a free climb attempt. We are expecting some serious difficulty with the Molar Traverse pitch, which is basically like the Great Roof on The Nose, but reversed. It looks much longer, harder, and involved. With 4 days, we will really be able to spend some serious time on each pitch, which is key. What we're learning is that it's going to take an intimate knowledge of each pitch, top to bottom, to climb this thing. It's so consistently difficult, that every pitch must be climbed with no wasted energy. I love this work because it's just like working a highball in a way. We rehearse the pitches, find the absolute best sequence, make it super efficient, and then fire it. The only difference is that the climbs are 150 feet long, not 40, and there are 30 some odd in a row. Hmmmm. Well, maybe its not like highball bouldering at all. Oh well. I'm loving it anyway. I'll try to update from the wall on our progress if we get the solar charger for our phones to work. A big storm is coming in on Tuesday, so we should be down by Monday night. More soon.

Hot in the sun

2010-03-24T12:25:00.001-07:00

We're chillin on the portaledge at the top of pitch 7, baking in the sun. The conditions were great between 7 and 10, with overcast skies and crisp air. The clouds have since parted and it's time to sit back, relax, eat some lunch, and wait for the afternoon shade.

- Posted from the wall

Top of pitch 6

2010-03-24T10:15:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the wall

Top of pitch 2

2010-03-24T07:55:00.001-07:00

We are mini traxioning (self belay) the first 7 pitches today

Hanging at belay

Tommy at top of first pitch

Pitch 3 here I come

Mini traxion set up

- Posted from the wall

Daybreak at the base

2010-03-24T06:35:00.001-07:00

- Posted from the wall

Early start

2010-03-24T05:15:00.001-07:00

A day of photos to come.

- Posted from the drive to the meadow

Location:Northside Dr,Wawona,United States

Mescalito: Days 1-3

2010-03-19T17:51:00.000-07:00

The spring season is in full effect here in Yosemite. The snow is melting, the temperatures are warm, and the crowds are coming........

Arriving on Tuesday afternoon, El Cap was completely soaked from head to toe. I was instantly depressed, thinking that we had come to early in the season to get anything done. Tommy and I met up in the morning and discussed doing some training routes instead, but decided to go see how the wall looked in the sun. Sure enough: bone dry. I could hardly believe I was looking at the same wall as the night before. El Cap has its own micro-climate that I'm still trying to understand. This aspect however is quite simple. As long as the wall is in the sun, the snow run off evaporates before it hits the wall. As soon as it goes in the shade however, it literally starts raining, soaking it from top to bottom.

To deal with this situation, we are going ground up each day, pushing our fixed lines higher and higher while the wall is in the sun. Each morning we mini-traxion our way back up to our high point (which is great for getting the bottom pitches dialed), lead up a few more pitches, then head to the ground for dinner. Pretty sweet! Today I hiked some loads to the base so that we are ready to blast wall-style as soon as it dries out. All of our food, clothing, sleeping stuff and water are packed and ready to go. We're both really looking forward to trying pitches 7-10, as Tommy has only aided through them in the past. He said they look possible, but it will be nice to know for certain.

So far, we have the first 5 pitches fixed. We are getting an alpine start tomorrow to take advantage of the early morning shade (hope it's not soaked!) and hope to get a few new pitches in before the afternoon shade and ensuing blanket of wetness descends. Here's how the pitches stack up so far:

Pitch 1: 5.12b slab

Pitch 2: 5.13a seam

Pitch 3: 5.13c seam and face

Pitch 4: 5.12b corner

Pitch 5: 5.12d corner

And on the agenda for tomorrow:

Pitch 6: 5.13c corner

Pitch 7: 5.13+/5.14- corner

Pitch 8: 5.14- ?

We'll see!

Mescalito Media

2010-03-16T20:45:00.000-07:00

I just saw the product of the BD shoot Tommy and I did on El Cap last season with Tim Kemple and Pete Vinitov. I think they did a great job capturing the scope of the project. Big thanks to Mike Call for the edit, and of course BD for all the gear!

You can check out the videos, photos and writing by either going BD's home page and surfing around, or follow the direct links below.

Tommy and I are back in Yosemite for the next 6 weeks or so. I'll be updating occasionally here, so stay tuned.

BD Website

Tommy's Essay

VIDEO Part 1: BD athletes Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson attempting to free El Cap's hardest climb from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

VIDEO Part 2: BD athletes Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson attempting to free El Cap's hardest climb from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Big Wall Cribs with Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson on El Capitan from Black Diamond Equipment on Vimeo.

Getting after it...

2010-03-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

New Signature Asana Crash Pad: Phase 3: Testing

2010-02-24T13:19:00.001-08:00

So, I just spent a week and half in Bishop testing the new prototypes (5 made in all) with the Asana Team. We compiled a bunch of great feedback that will only make the pad better. I will spare you the details for now, until we have the next prototype finished next week. Then you can see the changes for yourself. We have improvements being made to nearly every element of the pad, really dialing it in. I'd say that our first prototype was about 85% of the way there. The last 15% is coming from fine tuned changes to the carrying system, closure system, foam combination, and measurement details.

Charlie Barrett and I checking out the differences between our two prototypes

Checking out the gear storage system

Nice burly handles

Talking design...

Golden Shower, v10

Took come good drops from here before committing to the heel hook crux last move. Simply amazing boulder problem!

Mesothelioma, v7 or so

As promised, I will take your comments into consideration. See below.

awesome ... it looks cool - bether than my big madrock pad ... i hope to get one of these here in europe :)
Thanks Martin. We plan on offering them globally, so stay tuned if you're interested!

m. said...
I wonder about the hing system though. Up here in Squamish we find it quite difficult to flatten out landings with that style. I prefer a taco style. Also with damp ground it's nice to have a top fabric that allows you to wipe your feet dry. Aside from those small points the pad looks quite beefy.
When you say that you prefer the taco style for flattening out landings, do you mean that you like to fill in holes with the folded up pad? Or, do you find that the full taco simply does a better job of staying rigid over the gaps? Would love to hear some further input on this fact. Regarding a top fabric to dry your feet, we will be swapping out those camo accents on the corners of the pad with carpet. We noticed the same problem in Bishop with all the snow around. Thanks!

Anonymous said...
Whoever comes up with a viable inflatable/deflatable pad will own and revolutionize the market. The main impediment to these things are their size, making them impracticable for air travel (and having 4 of them in a small rental car once you get there), not to mention the stigma of walking around with a mattress strapped to your back. Also the CFC's involved in manufacturing the foam pad itself makes them about the least green, least recyclable, least biodegradeable climbing-related product on the market.

Maybe ThermaRest, the inflatable sleeping pad company, could be
approached for input as to how to make this happen. I think eventually someone will come up with a better idea, and we will all look back and laugh (like we do now about lycra in the 80's) about how ridiculous we all looked carrying mattresses around...
Agreed. Technology is advancing rapidly and climbing equipment is only getting more specialized. Flashed has an Air Pad that is actually quite effective in dispersing the force associated with long falls, however like you said, a design like this is quite heavy to carry...

Corey said...
Have you considered a strap on the top for those of us who like to pad stack and carry multiple pads?
Honestly, we haven't for this model. We feel that it's big enough as is, and when we make the final tweaks (including perhaps a new foam combination), it will clock in around 15 pounds. However, I've seen some creatively simple ways to incorporate what you're talking about, so I'll look into it when I'm in Boise this Monday.

Anonymous said...
Do you plan on double stitching where the shoulder straps connect to the pad? That always seems to be a weak point on crash pads, mainly when carrying a second pad strapped to it. Pad looks awesome and the weight is unreal for a pad that size.

Triple.

Macca said...
That is one sweet looking prototype! Globally sounds good, try getting a few over to Australia if you can. We are seriously starved of good climbing gear over here!

Send me an email through the contact form on my website and we'll see about getting some over there. Glad you like the look so far!

Anonymous said...
looks rad.
any idea what the price is going to look like?
thanks,
ak
Stay tuned for the answer to this. We will be discussing it on my next trip to Boise, on Monday. We expect to launch a Pre-Order option very soon.

Jay said...

Wow the pad looks great!
Thanks!!

Looks like it has highballs covered. Perhaps a small matt for cleaning the soles of your shoes would be handy also.
Good luck
Jay
Sydney OZ
Done. Thanks!

gian said...
wicked pit protector feature!!!
Thanks! It works well!

a bit skeptical about the lightness...
in my very limited experience light pad=crap foam. Heavy pad=sturdy, durable foam.
It's a compromise...
Fair enough. We are using the same foam combination as the old Gunther right now, which held up great. I've been using the Gunther for the past 2 years and the foam is still in great shape. However, we are looking into some different options for foam combinations to help with high impact falls. I'll let you know what we come up with next week.

jack said...
Rad I could definitely use one of these. I like the backpack feature and the straps to keep the pad level. How does it feel to have your own signature pad?

Glad you like what you see. I'm not usually one to do the whole signature line thing. This is a first. As weird as it feels, it's been a joy to work so closely with the design and production team to churn out a great new product.

Stay tuned for the results of the next prototype....

New Signature Asana Crash Pad: Phase 2-Prototypes

2010-02-19T22:18:00.001-08:00

Here are the first images of the prototype I am testing here in Bishop, CA. Not too bad for a first go, eh?! Yesterday I took the pad on a 100 problem circuit at the Buttermilks. I was very pleased with my ability to easily move from boulder to boulder using the handles and carrying it as a suitcase. The gear pack held a few pair of shoes, a community chalk bucket, my wallet and keys, food and water. Most of all, the pad is light: about 13 pounds, making it the lightest pad for its size on the market (in this prototype stage).

66" x 44" x 5"

"Pit Protector" straps keep the pad rigid over uneven landings

Clip in gear pack for all your bouldering needs

"Pit Protector" straps always stay attached. Just tighten and loosen the D rings as needed.

Cam Buckle closures are SUPER durable and easy to use

Totally redesigned carrying system. Fat shoulder and waist straps carefully positioned to fit both short and tall torsos.

KJ Signature Asana Crash Pad.

I'll be in Bishop for a few more days of testing before we send the results back to Asana for another round of prototypes. In the next post, I'll go over how some of the features are working out, what we are going to change for the next prototype, and hopefully, a timeline for it's release. As always, feel free to comment if you want to see a feature added that you don't see here already. We'll take it into consideration!

Thanks,
KJ

New Signature Asana Crash Pad: Phase 1-Concepts

2010-02-17T11:30:00.000-08:00

I’ve been bouldering for about 12 years now. In this time, you think that I would come across a crash pad that I LOVE. One that is durable, comfortable to carry, has great features, isn’t too big, too small and looks good. Well, this is where working with a great company like Asana comes in handy. I’ve been working with Asana since 2006. I’ve used their crash pads on every boulder problem I have done since then, big and small. I’ve taken 25 foot diggers in Bishop, back-flops in Hueco, and patent-pending “tuck n’ roll” ass rockets from the 30 foot range. Every time I have walked away. My pad of choice in all of these years has been the “Gunther Highball.” It’s 5 inches thick and 5.5 feet by 3.6 feet. In my opinion, it’s a great size. Not to big or small. Despite being a great pad to land on, the Gunther was in need of a serious make over. So, after summer Outdoor Retailer, I went up to Boise, ID for 4 days to design my “perfect” crash pad.

Designing a new product takes time. It’s a process. It takes good communication between the athletes (testers), designers and producers. Compromises need to be made by all parties, egos need to be left at the door, and the common goal of making the best product possible must always remain the focus. We have broken this process down into 5 stages.

1: Concepts

2: Prototypes

3: Testing

4: Revising

5: Completion

We are in the thick of this process right now and I want to bring everyone who reads this blog along with me. I’m going to write a post on each stage of the process until we have a finished product. If you think we are missing a key feature, leave a comment and let us know what you want to see in YOUR perfect crash pad.

To begin, let’s look at the conceptual stage. Highball crash pads are classically heavy, bulky, and uncomfortable to carry. I wanted to fix all of these issues without compromising durability. So, I began drawing and listing all of the features I wanted to address:

Carrying system: Needs to be comfortable with a heavy load, have wide but thin shoulder and waist straps to distribute the weight, a chest strap, and carefully chosen torso measurement so the pad may be carried with comfort by short and tall climbers alike. The shoulder and waist straps need to positioned low enough on the pad so not to hit the bottom of the pad when hiking on a steep trail, but not so low that the pad it top heavy.
Closure system: No flaps. Instead, incorporate a gear pack that clips in. Needs to be simple and durable. No plastic. No clips or hooks. Needs to maintain the ability to hold tension over time.
Functionality: Need to create a bouldering system, a few select products that work well together and go out bouldering with you every time. By eliminating the closure flaps, we simplify. To keep gear from falling out, we should add a bouldering pack that clips into and comes with each pad. Needs big handles for moving around. Needs carpet somewhere on pad for wiping shoes.
Aesthetics: Big, bold color. Simple.

With these items in mind, I began imagining, drawing, listing, discussing, debating, measuring, and eventually, cutting material to make the pad.

The Drawing Board

Sketching......

Measure twice, cut once....

John Albright, Asana Head Designer

Cutting the new pad template...

I just received my first prototype and I'm currently in Bishop, CA with fellow Asana athlete Charlie Barrett and Asana Team Captain Ryan Held testing it out. Stay tuned for the first images of the new Signature crash pad. I must say, I'm proud of it.

Progression Soundrack

2010-02-17T11:27:00.000-08:00

The guys over at Big Up Productions have released the soundtrack to Progression. I'm listening to it now and it definitely gets me psyched to get out of the coffee shop and up to the Buttermilks. In fact, I'm off. But go check it out. It's well worth it: http://www.bigupproductions.com/#/store/Progression_OST/

PURE as HD Download

2010-01-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

I just got an email from Chuck Fryberger telling me that his 2009 release, PURE, is now available as an HD Download! I just downloaded the file and the quality is outstanding. Click this link to download it: PURE HD DOWNLOAD

Enjoy!!

Spectre

2009-12-30T20:36:00.001-08:00

After many years of work, it all clicked!

Video coming soon!

2009-12-13T09:43:00.000-08:00

Sorry for the lack of posts lately. While I was in Yosemite working on Mescalito with Tommy, all of our updates went to the Black Diamond website. You can check out all the dispatches we sent in here:

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/journal/climb/all/bd-athletes-kevin-jorgeson-and-tommy-caldwell-attempt-a-new-free-route-on-el-capitandispatch-5

After climbing super technical, dead vertical granite for two months, I'm working on getting my steep bouldering power back. After Christmas, I'm going to take at trip out to Bishop to hopefully climb Spectre, a problem I have been trying for YEARS, but haven't finished up. To me, it's a dream line: house sized boulder, the only way up, obvious jug start, interesting and difficult moves on perfect rock, a variety of cruxes and styles, and a tall but not hard finish. I can't wait!

Andy Mann Photo: www.andymann.com

Packing for Yosemite.....

2009-10-05T19:05:00.001-07:00

Leaving Wednesday. Can't wait to get on the wall. A menacing elbow tendonitis injury seemed to resurface, so I'm hoping that it won't hold me back too much. Talk about bad timing! Let the adventure begin!

Goodbye Colorado, Hello Yosemite

2009-09-29T17:30:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm back from 3 weeks spent in Colorado and getting ready to embark on the biggest project of my life: teaming up with Tommy Caldwell on his project of freeing the old aid line, Mescalito, on El Capitan. I've been training as hard as I can for the past two months, trying to prepare for what I can only imagine is some of the most sustained and technically difficult climbing found anywhere. I will be making updates from the wall throughout October and November. Stay tuned for where to find those.

Here's a pic of a climb Carlo and I did a joint (first ?) ascent of up at Lincoln Lake in Mount Evans. It's a fantastic jug haul to a technical finish over a bad, but not too bad, landing. Never did name the rig, but it's super fun. I know that people have been climbing up at this area for a while, so I wouldn't be surprised if this has been done before, despite it's initial dirty condition. No matter what, this line smacks you in the face and says "CLIMB ME" when you are at this area. Good times.

Stress Factor

2009-08-31T08:36:00.001-07:00

Soon.

Progression Sneak Peak!

2009-08-11T23:28:00.000-07:00

Cooper at Big UP Productions was kind enough to lend me a sneak peek of their upcoming release, Progression, and let me just say, WOW. I got to see a section of Tommy working on Mescalito as well as my section featuring Ambrosia. I took a few screen shots (with Big UP's permission) to show everyone, so check it out....

The mighty El Cap. Mescalito roughly follows the shadow for the first half of the wall before continuing straight up when the shadow cuts right. Can you say, BLANK?

The still undone dyno....

Sick dihedral climbing!

Just a little 5.13 slab....

Tommy and I will be teaming up on Mescalito this fall, so training is in full swing right now. Long days with routes, bouldering, cardio and cross-training leave me wrecked when it's all said and done. My mantra through it all though is, "It's easier than El Cap! Come on!"

It's a bit intimidating thinking about trying to keep up with Tommy on a big wall. No doubt about it. I'm looking forward to getting in the best shape of my life and then spending three months learning from the most experienced big wall free climber around. Psyched!

In November of last year, Matt Segal, Alex Honnold and I all went to England to try our hand on the Grit. Cooper and Bret came out to meet up with us for a week and see what the hype was all about. In this short period of time, they got footage of Alex soloing Gaia and Meshuga, Matt hanging tough through THREE ground falls to finish off Kaluza Klein, and me climbing The Groove.

Matt sticking the last move crux of Kaluza Klein

Me placing the only gear between you and ground for the crux of The Groove

Sticking the one handed slap

Alex doing his thing on Gaia

Alex on Meshuga

There were many funny moments on the Grit that Big UP was there for. I won't give anything more away, but it should be both comedic and scary at the same time.

I was especially happy with how the Bishop section turned out. We spent a week shooting and climbing here in January and all the hard work and great days climbing show in the quality of the footage.

2nd ascent of Luminance, v11

A first ascent of mine from 2007, Flight of the Bumblebee, v9

I was very stoked when Josh took me up on the offer to come out and shoot in Bishop around the time that I thought Ambrosia would go down. For two years I had been dreaming about this line, working up to it both physically and mentally. I knew it would be a step in a new direction for myself and highball bouldering. Seeing that the film was going to be called Progression, it seemed like a good fit. Turns out he thought so too. I grew up watching Josh's films, and one thing I admire in a good film maker, is their ability to do climbs JUSTICE. It's easy to shoot crappy footage of an amazing climb, but it's hard work to shoot AMAZING footage of even and amazing line. With a project that I had spent so much time preparing for, that I knew I would only put myself out there on once, I really wanted to work with someone who could capture that experience. The guys at Big UP did a great job.

The reflection of Ambrosia, the morning of the send

Entering the "No Fall Zone"

Fully committed.

Yikes! I did that?

The last few, thin, terrifying moves

If you haven't checked out www.reelrocktour.com yet, be sure to go visit now. Voting on the Film Competition is going on until August 31st and the trailers will be up very soon. You can also find a list of events, so find the one nearest you and mark your calendars! I'll be hosting one here in Santa Rosa, CA on September 23rd, so if you're in the area, come check it out!

PS. What's it feel like to do this?

Like this...

Put Some Bachar Into It

2009-08-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

This 30' arete towers over the Roadside Area in Rocklands. It struck me as beautiful from the moment I arrived at Roadside. I ran to check it out before even climbing many of the classic boulder problems the area has to offer. What revealed itself was highly technical arete climbing, some blind hand moves, a 20' valley of trees to land in, and a last move, barndoor crux. Sweet! It had my full attention.

In the thick of it, squeezing between a small crimp sidepull and the arete.

This is the last move. My right foot is on the worst foothold on the climb, a bad smear. To make the foothold work, you really have to keep your heel low, despite your desire to stand up tall to reach the next hold. The solution was a semi-dynamic throw to an accuracy dependet slot. The key is to get your fingers in the hold before your left foot begins to peeeeel away from the rock, bringing you with it. At this point, you are 25' up the climb, but with a good 40' of air under your heels...definitely a no fall situation. With a few solid breaths and a yell, I committed to the move, felt the hold land perfectly under my fingers, and carefully executed the sequential, but easier top out.

It was this evening that I heard the news that John Bachar had fallen to his death. It hit me quite hard, as he always seemed immortal to me in a way, dodging the adage that there are no old, bold climbers. John was an inspirational climber who will never be forgotten. So, I decided to name this climb after John, as you really need to bring your soloing head to it. Thanks for the inspiration John.

From Rocklands With Love

2009-08-04T09:52:00.001-07:00

The coolest flapper I've ever had...

Photos courtesy B3bouldering.com

Welcome to Rocklands

2009-07-28T09:45:00.000-07:00

After 26 hours of flying and 36 hours of straight travel, I've made it home. What an amazing trip. I don't know where to begin but with the most spectacular view I've encountered at any climbing area I've ever been to:

To say that Rocklands is vast is an understatement. It is literally unquantifiable. "Rocklands" as we know it today consists of the climbing at the northern tip of the Cederberg Wilderness Area, which covers over 360 square miles. Bouldering will continue to be developed as long as people are willing to hike. What makes the development so much work however, is the fact that maybe .5% of the rock out there is the rock you want to climb on. So, more times than not, you will spend a few hours hiking to a new zone only to find a few lines worth climbing. However, new areas are out there, hidden in the valleys, waiting to be found. I'm sure of it.

Early in the trip, the crew went to the Roadcrew area. Psyched to explore, I dropped my pad, put on my small Kompressor pack and started running around. Not more than 100 yards from the super classic v9, Last Day in Paradise, I saw this:

I was attracted to the precarious nature of this boulder, overhanging over a precipice, isolated on top of a cliff, with an amazing view. As you can see from the rope, a fall from anywhere on the line would land you off the cliff. To start, you walk to where the boulder and the cliff meet to grab the start holds. Even a fall from here would be game ending.

Photo: Jamie Emerson

Despite the relatively short nature of the climb (maybe 18 feet), the exposure, commitment and the wide open landscape add an exciting element, making you buzz with excitement while on the climb.

Being motived purely by aesthetics lately, this climb was as good as they get for me. Relatively easy physically, allowing you to enjoy the climbing despite the danger, yet totally gorgeous.

I will continue to post more photos as I get them. Until then, I highly recommend you check out Jamie's website, b3bouldering.com, where he is doing an amazing job chronicling the trip.

South Africa Update

2009-07-07T06:57:00.000-07:00

We have been in Rocklands for 12 days now and this only my third rest day. The weather has been unbelievably good. Nothing but blue skies and a cool breeze each and every day. This makes it hard to rest when the weather is so amazing. There are 8 of us in the Ehran house right now: me, Chuck, Sarah, Flannery, Stephanie, Jamie, Nalle and Nelson.

Everyone seems to be hitting their stride and sending hard. Sarah, Flan and Steph all sent Last Day in Paradise, v9. Jamie has done Oral Office, v12/13 and a slew of other hard stuff. Chuck did Green Mamba, v13, totally static and in about 25 minutes and Nelson crushed Caroline, v9, in between days of hauling Chuck's Red One camera around (which by the way is taking amazing footage of all the action.)

I've been totally overwhelmed with the amount of rock here. It's mind blowing. As far as the eye can see is rock. We are at the northern tip of the Cederberg Wilderness, climbing on, and seeing, only a fraction of a percent of what is out here.

We have been visiting the classic, more established areas so far, and even these still hold first ascent potential. Nalle and I found a new sector the other day and he knows of another new area from last year. The amount of climbing to be done here is only limited by your willingness to hike. And hike we do.

I've been trying to balance my attention between repeating classic problems and seeking out new first ascents. I haven't been doing a very good job. Everywhere I look is another striking line. I just love standing at the base of a labyrinth of rock, picking out the most beautiful line I can see from a mile away, and going to climb it. Below are three projects that I have done so far.

The first is a nice tufa-like feature on a gently overhanging wall. What makes it interesting however is its position. The boulder is perched on top of a 20 foot cliff and overhangs over the edge. To get to the start holds, you walk along the base of the perched boulder until you are where the edge of the cliff and the base of the boulder meet. With 30 feet of air under your heels, you pull on and make a long, committing, crux move before continuing up easier yet engaging terrain. I called this one "Welcome to Rocklands" for its position as part of the landscape.

Next up was a nice orange wall at the Roadcrew Area. What drew me to climb it was the awesome natural thread half way up and the fact that in the glowing evening light, the wall appears to be on fire. I think the reason I am drawn to climbing, especially highballs, is because for an instant, a brief, fleeting moment in time, you can be a part of the amazing landscape in which we recreate. Afterward, all that is left is footprints and chalk, which too will fade with time, leaving the boulders to remain as they were and will continue to be for millions of years.

At the top of my project list was a beautiful, 30 foot ships prow at the top of the Roadside Area. It too is sitting perched between other boulders, suspended. Instantly committing, technical, balance intensive, and with a last move smearing crux, this line is one of the boldest I've taken on in a while. Because of the tree and bush filled gully of a landing, it is impossible to protect with crashpads and certainly a solo. After spending two sessions on a rope learning the blind hand movements on the arete, body tension intense foot movements, and sickeningly scary barndoor-smear last move, I was as ready as I was ever going to be. There is a point where if you rehearse for too long, it gets inside your head to the point where you never commit. I find its best to learn the moves, but to leave your instinct in tact.

Listening to John Coltrane's Love Supreme album at the base, I sat, letting the percussion, piano, and bass wash my anxiety away. When I took my headphones off, the air was somehow more silent than before. As always, when I started climbing my mind grew quiet and my senses hummed with acute awareness. There are times to be relaxed and there are times to be aggressive with certain climbs. This line has both. After the technical arete moves is the final crux. Standing on a bad smear that does not stabilize you from the right hand sidepull, you must land your left hand into a slot before your body peals away from the wall. It was here I remember taking two long breaths before letting out a yell and getting it done. I've decided to call it Put Some Bachar Into It in memory of the legend himself, John Bachar. He was a true legend and inspiration.

The list of projects and areas to explore remains long, but at the top of the list now is The Airstar Project. Easily the most athletic, unique, and gymnastic climbs ever, this will be a true gem when completed. It features a gigantic pogo move to cover a huge distance between holds on a beautiful overhanging wall at the Roadside Area. I've put four days into it already and its hard to tell if success is close or not with such a unique move. I am certain it will get done this season, but by who? We will see!

On the next rest day I will try to get some climbing photos up from the projects.

Until next time,
KJ

Leavin on a jet plane...

2009-06-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

...bound for South Africa! I will update here when I get the opportunities, but I have no idea how often that will be. Adios!

Eldo Revisited

2009-06-03T21:56:00.000-07:00

I had to pull this image off the site last month when Andy Mann told me Urban Climber wanted to run it in their 2009 Photo Annual. Well, now it's out so I can freely share it once more. The picture is of the boulder problem Germ Free Adolescence in Eldorado Canyon. The man "spotting" is none other than the first ascensionist himself, John Sherman. Verm put up this problem in 1980, with no pads, and stands below as I go for it in the same style, onsight. Just my way of giving a nod to the man who has contributed so much to the sport. And Verm, well....I'm going to interpret his body language as approval because if he wasn't standing there....you can bet your ass I would have had a pad for that dicey top out!

RMH Update

2009-05-28T20:22:00.000-07:00

Doors to the theatre open at 7 PM. Show starts at 7:30 PM.

Tickets will be available starting tomorrow at the box office and can be purchased the night of the event as well. $10.

See you there!

Calling ALL Bay Area Climbers!

2009-05-28T10:10:00.000-07:00

Next Thursday, June 4th, Scott Neel (the director) and I will be hosting the CA Premiere of Rocky Mountain Highball at the Rialto Theatre in Berkeley. This event is presented by Vertex Climbing Center, Marmot, and the Berkeley Marmot Mountain Works retailer. Tickets are $10 and available at the door.

“Rocky Mountain Highball” is a new climbing film that presents an in depth look into why some climbers push themselves to boulder at the vertical limit. The film documents the many facets of bouldering by interweaving numerous classic climbs in Colorado with interview footage from the leading figures of the climbing world.

Director/Filmmaker Scott Neel, and Yama Studio have brought in a huge cast of world renowned climbers, like Paul Robinson, Mark Wilford, Kevin Jorgeson, Lynn Hill, Daniel Woods, John Sherman, John Gill, Steve Mammen, and Jason Kehl. Having filmed more than 70 climbs with more than 35 athletes, this film proves to be an exciting journey through the world of highball bouldering.

Please visit www.RockyMountainHighball.com for more info, to view and download the official trailer, and check out the interactive cast line-up.

This film will not be out on DVD for a month or more, so take advantage of the opportunity to see it now and join us, next Thursday at the Rialto in Berkeley.

For theatre info, visit www.rialtocinemas.com

Click here for a map or to get directions: map/directions

See you there!

Kumite

2009-05-21T23:57:00.000-07:00

Kumite is, from what I understand, sparring ones adversary. A great name for a great problem. Check out the video here: Kumite

Enjoy!

Five Ten Cup

2009-05-21T13:01:00.000-07:00

I've made it back from Japan. What a trip! Simply awesome. The Five Ten Cup was a blast to compete in. I've cut together a quick video the comp:

Finals (small): www.kevinjorgeson.com/Japan/Finals

Finals (large): www.kevinjorgeson.com/Japan/FinalsLarge

The day after the competition, at B-PUMP2 (a gym outside Tokyo), we had a really fun "customer interaction" type day.

Basically, we got there around lunch time and set boulder problems for 3 hours around the gym. We set one section of the gym with all beginner climbs, one section with some intermediate climbs, and one section with harder ones. Then we (me and NoBu) spent 30 or 40 minutes in each section of the gym giving beta and having a good time with the members. After this, NoBu and I had an informal competition/session where we made up problems for each other and hucked HUGE dynos out of the main cave. Totally fun. It turns out, NoBu is one of the best dyno-ers in the country, so now I don't feel so bad for not sticking the final dyno...

On Monday and Tuesday, we got to get outside. What an amazing countryside. The forests outside of Tokyo are like none I have ever seen before. We went to Mizukai where I had the chance to repeat Jason Kehl's impeccable problem, Kumite.

I'm putting the video together of the days climbing outside, so check back soon for those.

Sightseeing in Tokyo

2009-05-15T15:45:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a sightseeing day around Tokyo with Naoji. I have been in a constant state of being lost since I arrived in Japan, despite seeing plenty of signs like this one.
We began our day by going to the Asakusa shopping market tourist spot. It was quite overwhelming, with shops everywhere. It was cool to pick up some gifts to bring home however.

Lunch menu

Lunch spot

Everyone walks and/or takes public transportation in Tokyo. Everywhere you go as well, you will see these raised portions of the sidewalk. They are for the blind to navigate the city by. I don't know why it struck me so much, but I found it amazing how well integrated this system was in the city.

Next up was the Tokyo Tower. At 330 meters tall, it's the tallest tower in Tokyo. We cruised up to the highest spot we could to get a view of the city.

Last but certainly not least, we went to the Rikugien Garden. This is one of Tokyo's most beautiful, Japanese style landscape gardens. Built around 1700 by Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu, Rikugien literally means "six poems garden" and reproduces in miniature 88 scenes from famous poems.

The central pond

The turtles

Tea house

This treat was a great way to end the day. A little green tea and a truffle.

Yesterday was the Five Ten Cup. What a day! I will post about it later however, as I am SPENT!

Till next time,

Japan Video 1

2009-05-14T16:33:00.001-07:00

I made it!
After 12.5 hours on a rather empty plane, I'm in Japan. I'll let the video tell the story, but I had a great dinner last night where I ate some Ebi, Tai, Squid and Octopus, all the for the first time. That's what coming to Japan is for, right? When else am I going to get to do this?

Check out the first video: Japan Day 1

The Last Three Weeks

2009-05-12T22:07:00.000-07:00

Whew...
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of airports, rental cars, slideshows, clinics, climbing and good times. Lets rewind three weeks. On April 26th, Rocky Mountain Highball had its World Premiere at the Boulder Theatre.

The AAC put on the whole event, including an amazing pre-party attended by legends such as John Sherman and Jim Holloway. It was an honor to hear their experiences with climbing, their perspectives on today's generation, their inspiration for climbing and what they've been up to since their hay day.

Jim Holloway, John Sherman, Steve Mammen, Andy Mann and Myself

Before we could get the show kicked off, I (on behalf of everyone) had to thank the AAC for supporting the film. It couldn't have happened without them. Big thanks.

The show was a few seats away from selling out and was extremely well received by everyone. Be sure to keep an eye for this film on DVD in the next month or so. On June 4th, I will be hosting a California Premiere of RMH at the Rialto Theatre in Berkeley, CA. If you are in the Bay Area, be sure to come check it out.

After Colorado, I went up to Central Washington University to give some clinics and a slideshow to the psyched climbing community there. Mike, Brian, Britt and Karlyn were great hosts. On Sunday, we made it out to Leavenworth. Can you say AMAZING?

Mike on "Ouchie"

Karlyn on the dicey "Slice of Pie"

Me on Sleeping Lady (?). Awesome problem over the river.

The canyon

Brian sticking the crux on The Shield

I was super impressed with Leavenworth to say the least. As tempting as it was to drop everything and stay, I had to jet to Portland for another set of clinics and a slideshow. Everything went great and I got to meet some amazingly talented young climbers while doing a clinic at The Circuit. It's my bet that you will be hearing about Zan, Zach and Carlos in the future. Mark my words.

Now, I'm back home, but leaving for Japan tomorrow. More on this trip soon.

New Shoe Testing

2009-04-28T09:39:00.000-07:00

All I have to say is these shoes are simply awesome. The best shoe I've ever worn. Keep an eye out for them in the future.

Bouldering with Verm

2009-04-25T20:34:00.001-07:00

On Friday, I had the pleasure of going out bouldering with John Sherman. If you're a boulderer and don't know who John Sherman is......well that's just sad. He created our grade scale after all! Come on!

Due a particular scathing blog post about roped cleaning and rehearsal, I decided to show him that even the new schoolers have balls, even if they are, in his opinion, smaller than his. Germ Free Adolescence is an absolutely CLASSIC boulder problem. As good as they come. Verm made the first ascent, ground up with no pads (of course) in 1980. So, I decided to try to flash the problem in similar style...

It was an honor to go bouldering with Verm, even if he doesn't spot you.

Spending the day talking with Verm gave me a renewed appreciation of our sport's past. Verm, along with John Gill, and Yvon Chouinard and others are living legends of our sport. We would NOT be where we are today if Gill had not applied the dynamic nature of gymnastics to rock, if Chouinard had not led the way in the clean climbing revolution, and if Sherman had not developed the grade scale we use to this day. If I were still wearing that ugly sun hat I wore in Bishop, it would be off to them.

Rocky Mountain Highball

2009-04-23T10:12:00.001-07:00

This Monday is the WORLD PREMIERE of Rocky Mountain Highball. This is a film I am very proud to be a part if. It is rare to find a cinematographer capable of doing proud lines JUSTICE on film. Making you say "WOW" just like you did the first time you walk up to a beautiful problem. Scott Neel and crew has done this with over 70 different beautiful climbs and over 35 unique athletes. This film speaks to all climbers, not just the strong ones, the bold ones, or the young ones. Just look at the cast:

Pat Ament

Tommy Caldwell

Aly Dorey

Adie Droley

Chuck Fryberger

John Gill

Laura Griffiths

Lynn Hill

Justin Jaeger

Jason Kehl

Melissa Lacasse

Sarah Marvez

Andy Raether

Paul Robinson

Andy Salo

Matt Samet

John Sherman

Jonathan Siegrist

Matt Wilder

Mark Wilford

Daniel Woods

Mike Banuelos

Phil Benningfield

Scott Blunk

Cam Cross

Herm Feissner

Mike Frieschlag

Naomi Guy

Ned Harris

TJ Kelly

Steve Mamme

Ben Scott

Flan Shay-Nemirow

Kevin Smith

Justin Wood

Whew!!! See what I mean? All abilities, generations and flavors of highball bouldering will be discussed, shown, and admired. I haven't seen it yet, but don't expect your typical climbing porn flick from this FILM. This is going to be an in depth look into the world of highball bouldering, where your actions have consequences, however large or small. Check out the details from the director himself:

Yama Studio and The American Alpine Club present ROCKY MOUNTAIN HIGHBALL.

“Rocky Mountain Highball” is a new climbing film that presents an in depth look into why some climbers push themselves to boulder at the vertical limit. The film documents the many facets of bouldering by interweaving numerous classic climbs in Colorado with interview footage from the leading figures of the climbing world.

Director/Filmmaker Scott Neel, and Yama Studio have brought in a huge cast of world renowned climbers, like Paul Robinson, Mark Wilford, Kevin Jorgeson, Lynn Hill, Daniel Woods, John Sherman, John Gill, Steve Mammen, and Jason Kehl. Having filmed more than 70 climbs with more than 35 athletes, this film proves to be an exciting journey through the world of highball bouldering.

Pre-sale tickets are on sale now at The Boulder Rock Club and The Spot Bouldering Gym for $12. Tickets are $14 at the door and also available at www.BoulderTheater.com. Here is a direct link to the page - http://bouldertheater.com/event_detail.php?id=1067

Please visit www.RockyMountainHighball.com for more info, the official trailer, and interactive cast line-up.

This Friday!

2009-04-21T14:30:00.000-07:00

I'm excited to take part this Friday in a fundraising event for the Elizabethfontaine Primary School in Rocklands, South Africa. When Chuck asked me if I would like to give a slideshow before the showing of Pure, I jumped at the opportunity. I'm looking forward to it! See below for details from Chuck's blog:

Mark your calendars!

This Friday at Mines University in Golden, CO we are hosting a charity showing of my new film PURE to benefit the Elizabethfontaine Primary School in Rocklands, South Africa. This school serves the children of the farm workers in the Rocklands area. Some of the students come from up to 12 miles away to attend classes. In addition to providing the school with much needed funds, you should come to the show because...

It's good for us!

This well-managed and award-winning school sits in the middle of one of the best bouldering areas on the planet, Rocklands. As wave after wave of climbers travel to Rocklands to test their skills against classic boulder problems, visitors and locals alike brace for the first wave of access restrictions, closures, and regulations. Similar to Hueco Tanks, Rocklands is covered with archeologic sites and pictographs. Taking an interest in the community is one of the best ways to build a good reputations for climbers and will go a long ways to keeping access open in the future.

Watch the Trailer for Pure

Details:
Coolbaugh #209, Colorado School of Mines, Golden Colorado
doors at 7pm

tickets $7 (100% of proceeds benefit the school)

We have a special guest slide show from professional climber Kevin
Jorgeson, a bake sale, and gear raffle from Scarpa, Marmot, La Sportiva,
Cloudveil, and others. We would love to see you there, it will be a
fun low-key event and a way to help those in need. Let me know if you
have any questions, I look forward to seeing you there!

A Weekend in Bishop

2009-04-21T12:57:00.000-07:00

On Thursday, I hopped in the car and made the ever familiar drive over to Bishop. The main purpose of the trip was to donate some time and sweat to the Buttermilks, an area in which I have spent my fair share of time over the years. This Adopt-A-Crag event was put on by the Access Fund, Friends of the Inyo, and the Eastern Climbers Coalition. I would say that about 40 people came out and spent a good part of the day working on the trails around the Buttermilks. The goal was to preserve large "islands" of plants by eliminating unnecessary trail branches, reinforcing main trials, thereby minimizing future impact.

The Crew

My job was to collect rocks from around the road, load them into this tank of a wheel barrow, and carefully drive it up the trail to wherever they were needed. After many trips up and down the hill, we were able to largely line the main trials with rocks, thus eliminating any confusion as to where you should be walking. As if its that hard to begin with! But, due to the sheer volume of excited climbers in the Buttermilks, everywhere you look there is a footprint. So, hopefully this effort will pay off.

Yes. I know. Nice hat.

Before and after the trail day, we got some climbing in. This is my FAVORITE climb at the Buttermilks: the Southeast Arete of the Grandma Peabody. I do it every time I'm in Bishop.

Walking down from the Happy Boulders on Sunday, we were greeted by this:
Sarah was walking in front of me and startled it. By the time it curled up and started rattling, my feet were inches away from it! Upon hearing the rattle, I did the snake dance, back peddling onto the boulders that line the trail, trundling a few as I struggled for balance, and eventually fell down the hill on my ass. Luckily, I didn't get bit, and neither did anyone else. I did however tweak my ankle, AGAIN. I'm beginning to realize how vulnerable my ankles are, the impact they have withstood thus far in my climbing, and wonder how long they will hold up!

We had a great crew from Santa Rosa, Norway (Ivan) and Canada (John). Here we all are at the end of the trip. Good times.

L-R: Sarah, Me, Ivan, Dave, Christina, Sarah, Jerry, John

Slideshows, Clinics, and Traveling

2009-04-08T15:12:00.000-07:00

Today I confirmed a two day event at Central Washington University in which I will have the opportunity to share some of my stories and climbing experience with the psyched climbing community there. Climbing (especially professionally) is, by most counts, a selfish endeavor. For this reason, I love doing events such as this one at CWU. If you are in the area of CWU on May 2 and 3rd, be sure to come check it out. I'll be offering four, 2-hour clinics, ranging in scope from technique and movement to making your mind your most powerful asset as a climber. The next day, I will present my slideshow, The Road to Ambrosia.

I am psyched to travel to wherever there is a psyched community of climbers, so if you think your home gym or college would want to host something like this, email me at: kevin.jorgeson@gmail.com

I am looking to schedule events during the following dates:

May 20-27

June 1-6

After the May 2 and 3 event, I'll be headed to Bishop to give back to the area in which I have spent so much time. The Eastern Sierra Climber's Coalition and Friends of the Inyo are organizing a trail work day on Saturday the 18th at the Buttermilks. If you are around, this is a great cause for an area that has been seeing exponentially increasing traffic.

Following this event, it's off to Colorado for some climbing and the Rocky Mountain Highball world premiere, presented by the American Alpine Club. Speaking of the AAC, they offer this really cool feature as part of their membership called the Global Rescue Service. With no elevation restrictions, GRS will provide, arrange, and pay all necessary and ordinary expenses for rescue, air and/or surface transport to the nearest medical transport up to $5000 as part of your standard AAC membership. When I heard about this feature last year, my family signed me up before I could even do so myself.

On top of all the other great benefits you receive with an AAC membership, the rates are more than reasonable. Check them out: www.americanalpineclub.org

I hope everyone is getting some good weather, allowing them to get out and enjoy the natural world. Remember, we leave an impact wherever we go. Make it the smallest impact possible.

Rocky Mountain Highball

2009-04-03T12:43:00.001-07:00

If you have not checked out the new website for Rocky Mountain Highball yet, do so NOW:

Rocky Mountain Highball

I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this is going to be the first climbing FILM ever made. It's not climbing porn, it's top notch camera work, editing, story and cast. From the old school to the new school, RMH features them all. If it's any testament to Scott Neel's attention to detail, I heard he spent a full 8 hour day choosing the font for the website. Having worked with Scott and the crew multiple times for RMH, I can vouch for the time, energy, and attention to detail put into EVERY shot.

Great lighting? Check.
Stable shots? Every time.
In focus? Of Course.
Great angles? You bet.
Cool problems? We are talking about RMH here! See for yourself...

Rocky Mountain Highball premieres at the Boulder Theatre in Boulder, CO on April 27th. Don't hesitate. Click here and get your tickets while there are still some to buy:

http://www.bouldertheatre.com/event_detail.php?id=1067

I hope to see you there!

Monthly Product I Love:

2009-04-01T16:28:00.000-07:00

At the start of each month, I'm going to take a moment to write about a product that I use on EVERY climbing trip. Something that gets packed EVERY time, no matter what. These are products that I feel help me perform my best, make my life easier, or are just plain cool. I can hear it now..."But you're sponsored by these people, of course you love their products and will rave about them..."

Understand that these are mutually beneficial agreements. I choose to endorse these products because they are the best on the market. The products are not the best on the market because I'm choosing to endorse them. Quality is quality no matter what.

With that said, here is my choice for April:

Marmot's Eiger 35 Pack

I love this pack because, as a climber, it is the perfect size. With a volume of 35 liters, I can fit a 60 meter rope, a full rack of 14 or so cams, half a dozen quickdraws, several pairs of climbing shoes, chalk bag, harness, food, water, and a few extra layers of clothing. I can even lash a thermarest and a lightweight tent to the sides of the pack. No problem. I've used it to approach Half Dome with 35 pounds of stuff as well as for day trips looking for new problems. The compression molded back panel molds to fit your back perfectly while the S-curved shoulder straps and the thick waist belt help distribute the load however you like.

Additionally, the Eiger 35 has a hydration pocket for your water bladder, stash pockets in the waist strap, a solid closure system for the lid, and above all, its COMFORTABLE.

It's the only pack I own for all of these reasons. If I'm packing lighter, I'm wearing a crash pad, otherwise, it's the Eiger 35. To check out the true technical details of this pack, visit http://www.marmot.com/

The Heist cont.

2009-03-16T06:25:00.000-07:00

Here's a photo Andy Mann posted on his blog that gives some perspective of the line:

The Heist

2009-03-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

A heist went down in Eldorado Canyon yesterday. A classic boulder problem, on great rock, with amazing movement, in a centralized location, of respectable difficulty, was established by a......Californian? I called it The Heist because I was amazed that it hadn't been done before. So amazed, that I struggled to keep it on the down low for the three days it took to do it between finding, cleaning, working and sending. It's located across, and slightly downstream, from the Milton Boulder in Eldo. Just look to the right as you're driving up to the Milton and you'll see it. It's 25 feet tall, 40 degrees overhanging and has a landing that follows it up. Andy Mann and I were hiking around Eldo, looking for potential, when he remembered "a 25 foot wall over this way." Sure enough, there it was: a 50 foot long, 25 foot tall wall. The Heist takes the most obvious line, beginning on two jugs as a sit start, and following a crack up the wall until it peters out, leaving you to crimp your way up the remainder of the way. There are crimps, a mono, slopers, pinches, and a victory jug. What more could you ask for!?!

Perfect start holds...

A mono...

Fun moves...

Finger locks...

First crux...

Drawing blood...

Big lock off...

Top crux ...

Great slopers at the end...

"That felt sooo good..."

Coming from a home town that is not blessed with world class rock within 30 minutes of my front door (we have to drive a little further), I am always psyched to visit Colorado. What strikes me most is the amount of first ascent potential still available. To me, there is nothing more fun than the process of making a first ascent. Your patience, creativity, determination, and skills as a climber are all tested. I enjoy not knowing whether or not something is possible, creating something out of what was nothing more than a lichen covered rock in the forest, figuring out moves that nobody has before, and most of all, contributing a new line for more people to enjoy.

With two more days left in the trip, I'm hoping that I can find and establish a few more of the many classic lines waiting to be found.

Till next time...
kj

Getting after it...

2009-03-10T20:51:00.000-07:00

Today we went out to scope and prepare for one more addition to Rocky Mountain Highball, which premieres April 27th at the Boulder Theatre. WHAT A LINE!

Stay tuned.

Colorado

2009-03-10T08:06:00.000-07:00

After an EPIC day of travel, involving an exploding tire at 5am, sitting in a bad part of Oakland for 3 hours, missing a flight, and flying standby, I made it to Boulder. Pysched! I'm here to check out some first ascent and highball potential. I've been busy working most of February, so it will be nice to be out of the gym, rock climbing again.

I woke up this morning to an inch or so of snow on the ground, so today has been demoted to a recon day. We'll hike around, scope out lines, and make a plan of attack for tomorrow. Can't wait.

Till next time....

Five Ten Treasure Hunt

2009-03-05T12:24:00.000-08:00

Throwin' it out there

2009-02-28T16:18:00.000-08:00

Tonight I have the pleasure of sharing some stories, photos, and video of my trip to The Grit in preparation for Ambrosia. We collected plenty of each during our 2 month stay last Autumn. The multimedia show features great photography by:

Jerry Dodrill

Cory Richards

Dave Simmonite

and Adam Long

We also have some great video from the highlights of the trip, including the sends (and falls from):

'Parthian Shot', E9 ground-up

The Team Send of 'End of the Affair,' E8

The Deck...

...and send of 'Gaia,' E8

And last but not least, I have an exclusive teaser video from Big Up Productions, as well as some amazing photos by Tim Kemple of Ambrosia. It's been amazing to travel lately, but even more fun is coming home and sharing those experiences with people. So, I'm throwing it out there that I would love to bring this slideshow to your local climbing gym, climbing club, or wherever you get psyched on climbing. On top of the slideshow, I'd be happy to host a screening of PURE. It could be a two night event of watching an amazing climbing film, getting psyched, and then laughing at me hit the ground off Gaia! In between the shows, I'd also be psyched on teaching a technique and movement clinic that I have been working on perfecting over the past 4 years. So, that's PURE, a multimedia show, and some climbing clinics. If you're interested, shoot me an email: kevin.jorgeson@gmail.com

Till next time....

CA Premiere of Pure

2009-02-27T09:14:00.000-08:00

Last night, I hosted the CA Premiere of Pure at the Rialto Theatre in my home town of Santa Rosa. There was a great turn out, nearly selling out the 260 seat theatre. I want to thank EVERYONE who came out to watch the film. It's always cool to get the climbing community together in one place.

To me, Pure is a homage to everything we love about climbing: the lifestyle, the movement, the travels, and the people. I'm proud to be a part of the film. A big thanks goes out to Vertex Climbing Center and Marmot for sponsoring the Premiere. Another big thanks goes out to all the local climbers, namely Chris Summit, Marcos Nunez, and Richie Esquibel, who are responsible for the vast majority of the first ascents in Sonoma County, including most of the problems featured in my section of the film. Without their exploratory efforts and great climbing skills, we would not have nearly as many great climbs on our coast as we do now. Or perhaps it would have taken a bit longer to have discovered them. I'm not sure if those three guys were in the crowd, so if you were not, hat's off to ya!

Lastly, thanks to Jerry Dodrill (www.jerrydodrill.com) for shooting some photos of last night's event. Jerry and I have been on many an adventure together. I wonder what will come up next, after all, his nick name is "The Instigator...."

Until next time....

Off to Boulder

2009-02-19T10:41:00.000-08:00

I got a call from Chuck Fryberger yesterday asking me if I wanted to come out to the World Premiere of Pure in Boulder, CO. "Of course I do!" I said and now I'm off first thing tomorrow morning. I'm looking forward to the show, the people, hanging with old friends, and getting outside to climb while I am there. I'm sure it will be a packed house. Hopefully Chuck didn't make me look like too much of a doofus on film, because I'm sure I did plenty of that myself. Oh well! It should be funny to see my doctor's visit on the big screen. My ankle still hasn't grown back the hair from when I removed the tape job I received while at the visit.

It went something like this:

1.........2..........

.....................3!

Brutal. I don't know why I'm smiling in that photo. It hurt like hell....

Luckily the twisted ankle was minor and healed up fine.

Till next time...

Pure

2009-02-17T12:42:00.000-08:00

If you haven't seen the trailer for Chuck Fryberger's upcoming film, Pure, be sure to check it out:

The world premiere is this Friday at the Boulder Theatre, so if you are around Boulder, be sure to check it out.

Also, I will be hosting the California Premiere at the Rialto Theatre in Santa Rosa, CA on February 26th at 7:15. Doors open at 6:15. Tickets are 10 bucks and be purchased ahead of time at the Rialto or at the door.

Chuck flew out here to California in September and we shot all along the Sonoma coastline, capturing the unique landscape and some of the stunning lines this area has to offer. Having grown up climbing on the coast, I'm especially excited to see my home area on the big screen. A lot of the climbs featured in the film only became a reality for me after traveling. As a friend once told me, traveling allows you to see your home with new eyes. This has been very true for me. Lines that I once walked under many times before without so much as a glance now loom over me and cannot be mistaken. Local climber Marcos Nunez is responsible for the first ascent of many local testpieces. Many of the tall lines he established as top ropes. After climbing lots of highballs around the country, I began to see their potential to be done rope-less. Climbs like:

Stony White Boots Johnson, 5.13a solo, 1st Rope-less Ascent

Moby's Dick, 5.12 solo, 2nd Ascent

Also, on one particularly caffeinated day, I managed to stick the Charlie Barrett dyno, "Flying Monkey" at Fort Ross.

All of these climbs and more will be featured in Pure, along with my personal climbing hero, Fred Nicole!

Be sure to check out Pure wherever you are.

February 20: Boulder, CO: Boulder Theatre

February 26th: Santa Rosa, CA: Rialto Theatre

March 19th: Riverside, CA: Hanger 18

Or order it online at: www.chuckfryberger.com

Ambrosia

2009-02-17T12:31:00.000-08:00

I just saw the new issue of Climbing and couldn't be happier. Ambrosia, my pride and joy, is on the cover. Tim Kemple did an amazing job capturing this line and certainly did it justice with this image. Thanks Tim!