Guide Gear Review: Black Diamond Vector Helmet Review

I have long awaited the arrival of the new Black Diamond Vector Helmet. I like to carry as little weight up the hill as possible and since my LG/XL Vector weighs in at a trim 8.5 ounces (SM/MD 8.1 ounces) I have no excuse to leave my helmet at home.
 

the new Vector from blackdiamondequipment.com
 

There are lots of technical components to the Vector: in-mold headlamp clips, ratcheting helmet adjustment, tuck away suspension (for packing), lots of ventilation, and cold-molded EPS foam with polycarbonate shell.  On top of all these technical points, the Vector passes the all-day comfort test with ease.

A good friend and regular climbing partner of mine named Juan laid it out for me a few weeks ago: he said, “Mike, you are to always bring your helmet for any projects in Eldo.” Juan and I had been working on the climb “Surf’s Up.” Sure enough the next time we went out I brought the Vector along to test-drive. Bottom line: we both dug it.

 

Juan rockin the Vector Helmet in Eldo

 

The long and short is this: the Vector is a lightweight helmet that is comfortable, looks good, packs easily and most importantly is going to protect your domepiece.  Fear not ladies, there is also a Women's Model.

 
Have fun and be safe out there.
 

Mike Alkaitis

CMS Senior Guide
Colorado Mountain School
1.800.836.4008
totalclimbing.com

Top Rope Anchor Clinic With Senoir Guide Eric Whewell

Mountain Climbing Safety

CMS guide Russell Hunter recently spent the day climbing with Outside Television.  Here's and excerpt where they spend a few minutes discussing mountain climbing safety.  Enjoy!

Monty Python - The North Face of Uxbridge Road

Apine, Rock & Ski Trip Report

Recently I had the pleasure to climb and ski with Jake Lauer form Durango.  Jake is an aspirant in the mountain guiding realm working hard to achieve AMGA Rock Certification - and he is well on his way.

Day #1:  AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Exam preparation.  We worked on transitions mostly, covering topics like anchor building for top rope set ups, counter ascending, counter balance rappelling, raising/hauling systems, and lowering.

Day #2:  Ski touring and traveling with a focus on tour planning and snow pack assessment.  Jake and I roamed through the mountains while targeting a few classic ski descents in RMNP, while taking time to dig pits and gather information on current conditions and potential hazards.

Day #3:  Eldorado Canyon this time of year is amazing.  So we went climbing on the Red Garden wall to  work on efficient multi pitch transitions and complex descents.

Day #4 & 5: Overnight preparation for our summit attempt on Longs Peak - “Colorado’s 14er”.  Jake and I packed our backpacks and left for Battle Mountain Camp to get a head start in the morning and to acclimatize for a night.  We had our sights set for the North Face route and at this time of year the route is in mixed condition.

This was Jakes first time summit of Longs Peak via the North Face route.   Congratulations Jake, very nice work!  It's been a pleasure sharing the mountains with you!

Joseph Thompson

Colorado Mountain School
Senior Guide

AIARE Level 1 Instructor
AMGA Rock Guide
AMGA Single Pitch Instructor Program Provider
800-836-4008
climberjoeyt@gmail.com

Jonathan Siegrist FAs His Hardest Line to Date!

Le Reve - Jonathan Siegrist from MAXIM DYNAMIC ROPES on Vimeo.

Weekly Wednesday Blog Post: Looking through a client's eyes

Thursday was... a day of cold, wind, clouds, sun, adventure, challenge, and fun!

Eldorado Canyon State Park is simply a maze of quality challenging climbs - leaving you tired, satisfied, and ready for more – especially with an experienced guide, Steve Johnson.

CMS Senior Guide, Steve Johnson, guiding in Ecuador

Meeting at the parking lot at the beginning of Eldo's tall canyon walls, we readied our gear.  The location of this area is perfect - just outside of Boulder Colorado.  Steep climbable cliffs line the edge of rushing South Boulder Creek.  After a 30 minute uphill trudge we reach the base of the Rewritten.  Wind, cold, and clouds had us wearing every piece of clothing we had, but by the time Steve led the first pitch the sun came sweetly flooding our little rock world!  Shedding two layers, I began climbing the first pitch of this classic.  There was almost every type of climbing movement on this great route; face, crack, lie-back, chimney, roof, inset.  But the best and most exciting was that the sharp, exposed arête near the top of pitch 4(?).  Stepping out into space with winds gusting 40 - 50 mph took all my courage!  All the while, Steve calling out encouragement, "you CAN do this!"  And then the step across the void onto another face from the arête was definitely the "move of the day."  Steve drew out of me the willingness to trust how he told me exactly where to place my feet as I stemmed out across this scary void!

The amazing arete pitch.  Photo taken from mountainproject.com

We topped out but the adventure wasn't quite over.  The decent required careful route finding and down climbing some steep 4th class terrain.  Steve led the way safely and kept the rope on me until we were back on the main trail.

We finally reached our packs left at the start of the climb many hours before.  The fall sun was setting and the blue day sky was turning an amazing deep azure - all while a train chugged way up high across the canyon in the fading light.  This golden day was made possible because of Steve's experience, incredible skill, and great attention to detail.  From start to end - a day to remember.  I can't wait for another run.  "Hey Steve, where to next?!"

-Colorado Mountain School Client, Mary M.

If you would like to get out and climb a route like this one, or any other routes in Eldorado Canyon, let us know.  We can guide there any day of the week.

Coloardo Mountain School

800-836-4008 x3

Weekly Wednesday Blog Post: The Purple Route and the Green Route

Well, the snow is flying, the ice is forming and the sweet days of 60 degrees and sunny are still happening in the Front Range.

Two days ago I climbed in Eldo, yesterday I skied and today I’m climbing in Eldo again. Friday I’ll be climbing in Boulder Canyon, we have ski guide training coming up and our first avalanche course of the season is just around the corner. Life is good.

But what of the purple and green routes you ask? Well gym climbing season is also kicking into high gear.

Each Thursday I take a break from the elements and get into the Boulder Rock Club for some serious plastic pulling with regular clients Tom Stocker and Becky Browning.

Just like last winter, we will spend from now until the snow is gone training for next year’s main rock climbing season. Working on technique, strength, endurance and strategy we also have a great time for a couple of hours out of our busy week. This week Tom’s son Thad also joined us.

Slopers and steeps were the main focus this week with progress made by all. We worked slopers in the bouldering area and the steep moves on full length routes focusing on body position to increase reach while decreasing arm fatigue. Although I have to admit, we also worked a bit on overhanging sloper problems!

Training in the gym can be a great way to hit the ground running (I mean hit the rock sending!) in the spring.  I still have a free hour or two on Thursday afternoons, care to join me?

Mark Hammond
Head Guide, Colorado Mountain School
800-836-4008

First Descents Climbing Camps: Moab May 2011

The Colorado Mountain School (CMS) has been very lucky to partner with an amazing organization called First Descents (FD). FD is a wonderful program that offers young adult cancer survivors a breath of fresh air, a break from their normal lives and a chance to live through the spirit of adventure. Each camp offers the opportunity for young adult survivors to share their experiences, battles and on going fight with fellow survivors. In the middle of this gathering FD and CMS offer climbing as another way to challenge the mind and spirit of the group. In April a group of CMS guides made a road trip out to Moab Utah to participate in the first two FD climbing camps of the 2011 season. 

 

Our group toured out to the mighty Titian in the Fisher Towers collecting photos and discussing the ancient history of the land.  We scrambled and hiked down the desert washes enjoying every step of the way.

 

Here CMS guide, Bob Chase, give excellent advice and great coaching to a FD camper. Not every step is smooth but that's part of the adventure. 

 

We slush in desert mud puddles and cross trickling creek beds to find our way through the slot canyon.

 

As we reach the exit with our ecstatic group, we talk about our favorite parts of the day and what the dinner might be when we return back in to civilization.

 

After a great week with an incredible group the CMS guides and FD staff gear up for the second camp. We prepare for the next journey.  The next camp is all return campers with quite a bit of experience.  So we get back out in the desert and start with some more advanced climbing and prep for a multi pitch adventure.

 

We head out to the desert backcountry near the Island in the Sky area.  The FD folks are getting psyched for their experience. Some with more conventional helmets than others. 

 

This is it the climb that everyone has been waiting for. Notice the trending right leaning crack with the steep head wall… that’s going to be us.

 

Strong work Krash, she is working hard at the crux of the route… almost there!

 

Nice work FD campers!!  We all made it to the top after a full day of rock climbing and a long week of prep. There are some deep thoughts while at the summit waiting for the rappels that follow.

The FD climbing program is a great way for me to give back and to share climbing experiences with people that are so in to the present moment. These were first two of ten FD camps of the season.  I can’t wait till the next one. Check back for some more climbing adventures in Estes Park this spring and summer with the Colorado Mountain School and take a minute to see all the great work First Descents is doing by jumping on their website at: www.firstdescents.org

Joey Thompson
AIARE Level 1 Instructor
AMGACertified Rock Guide
AMGA Certified SPI Program Director
jthompson@totalclimbing.com

Leave No Trace Extreme Climbing Stewardship

Lumpy Ridge Climbers Reunion Gathers Climbing Greats and Gives Back

Estes Park has long been a gathering place for top climbers from around the world. Many world renowned climbers settle here, while others can’t resist returning to climb. A unique generational mix of climbers are drawn to Estes Park, including Scott Kimball, who wrote the 1986 Lumpy Ridge and Estes Park Rock Climbs guidebook, stunt rigger Douglas Snively, AMGA ski-mountaineering guide Mark Kelly, and Paige Claassen, one of the top sport climbers in the United States.

The 10^th annual Lumpy Trails day event brought those top climbers, and more, back to Lumpy Ridge. They celebrated over 50 years of climbing on Lumpy with a social gathering at Ed’s, free climbing clinics provided by Colorado Mountain School/Boulder Rock Club, a slide show by Lumpy Ridge pioneer Scott Kimball, and trail building camaraderie on the Sundance climber access trail.

The Saturday slide show was hosted by Greg Sievers and highlighted local climbing legends, including Harry Kent, Billy Westbay, Michael Covington, and others.

Everest ascensionist, and owner of Neptune Mountaineering in Boulder, Gary Neptune observed a CMS offwidth crack clinic taught by Clint Locks on Crack of Fear, Twin Owls. Climbers from the front range, Estes Park, California, Great Britain, and Israel took advantage of crack clinics offered by the CMS guides.

Climbers are known for giving back and following the Access Fund’s “Leave No Trace” ethics. On Oct. 3, 46 volunteers plus National Park Service trail employees constructed 60 rock stairs and installed 90 wooden water bars to prevent erosion on the 500 vertical feet of trail. AMGA heli-ski guide Mark Kelly once again helped on the trail crew and says there were “three times the number of people I’ve seen in the past. Basically all the projects the park service had lined up for us were finished.”

The event gathers support from climbing gear manufacturers, who set up a tent festival in the Lumpy Ridge/Gem Lake parking lot. In 2010 the North Face, Trango, Camp Equipment, LaSportiva, Colorado Mountain School and Neptune Mountaineering took part. Local businesses also support the event, including: Estes Park Mountain Shop, Kind Coffee, Ed's Cantina, Poppy's, the Egg & I, Starbucks, Estes Park Brewery, the Donut Haus, and Catering for All Occasions.

Local climber Greg Sievers and Chris Pruchnic, Front Range Section chair of the American Alpine Club organized the 2010 event. Chris is proud of taking part in the “biggest year yet” of the Lumpy Ridge Climbers Reunion and Trails Day. Look for hard core climbers to gather again to celebrate climbing heritage in fall 2011.

Author Michelle Hurni is a local climber whose book “Core Climbing: Pilates For Climbers” is available at michellehurni.com.

Unseasonably Warm and Dry in Rocky Mountain National Park

Fall alpine climbing has been some of the best in memory. I’d call it fall climbing but other than a few minor exceptions, it was summer—without thunderstorms. It has been dry and warm throughout, particularly since the second half of September. I was lucky enough to have great clients on great climbs.

 With John Pratt, one of the few clients I’ve had who has climbed longer than I have, we climbed Sharkstooth’s Northeast Ridge (5.6), which was the last time I’ve seen rain this fall (but we reached the summit) and Notchtop’s Spiral Route (5.4-5.7), which has always been one of my favorites.

I did get blown down from the Petit Grepon (5.8) with Jim Findlater a week later, but since then I’ve had perfect weather on Longs on two consecutive trips—one on the under-climbed Keyhole Ridge (5.6) with old friend Kevin O’Hara, Sean, and Mark. For Mark, it was his first multi-pitch climb, a fact we kind of discovered in process, a mis-communication but one he was a good enough athlete to pull off.

The next weekend we had the Scwartz family, father, brother, cousins, buddies, kids, and the family priest on the Keyhole, the first alpine climb for a few of them, but all summitted—again, in absolutely perfect weather. Sadly, on the way down, just before we reached the Keyhole, we learned a solo climber had slipped and fallen to his death. What bothers me about the Keyhole is how casually people take it and how brutal the route can be when someone’s careless.

It’s October now and still strangely summer-like at high elevation. I’m hoping to get in a few more alpine rock climbs before the ice tools come out.

Join us before the fall alpine rock season ends. It's going quick!

John Bicknell
CMS Owner and Senior Guide
AMGA Certified Rock and Alpine Guide
jbicknell@totalclimbing.com
800.836.4008
www.totalclimbing.com

Longs Peak: Keyhole Ridge traverse 5.6

This northwest ridge traverse is a must do classic in Rocky Mountain National Park. This route offers magnificent exposure in an alpine setting.  Most of the climbing is clean and fun to travel through.

David Ladd and I had a blast climbing on this classic on Saturday September 5th, 2010. We started at the Longs Peak trailhead at 02:40. We wanted a latter start to thread the needle on the high winds forecasted to periodically decline during the late AM/ early afternoon.  When arriving at the Keyhole we hung out, took in the stunning views and ate a good sized breakfast to fuel us for the adventure that waited ahead.

We started heading up the ramp gaining the technical rock climbing. Very pleasant rock climbing to gain the ridge traverse.

David and I then stepped over to the west to side step towards the crux of the traverse. Carefully pulling and tapping on the blocky holds.

David feeling free on this fun slab pitch looking over the traditional keyhole route on the west side of the ridge.

Below David shows great style climbing through the 5.6 crux in his mountain boots gaining the top of the pitched out climbing.

After all of the spectacular climbing we popped out on this beautiful 2nd class ridge to the summit of Long’s Peak. Once on top David and I celebrated an amazing September day on the summit of one of Colorado's best 14eers.

After a bit of lunch on top, we got ready to descend the North Face rappels back to Chasm View.

After our descent we coiled our ropes and started down the Boulderfield trail back to the Long’s Peak parking area. Another amazing day in Rocky Mountain National Park. Thanks David for the great adventures in the high peaks of Colorado.

Joey Thompson
jthompson@totalclimbing.com
www.totalclimbing.com
800.836.4008