Puerto Natales!

Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2014 - 05:44am PT

Well, we have landed... 

Two years doesn't seem like a lot of time, but things sure change. Puerto Natales the quiet quant town, seems to have realized what it has. That being the Torres! There are more hostels, more travelers, more people exploring. The building seem to have gone through remodels and the infrastructure of the town is becoming stronger. The peso has gone up, the crazy stray dogs still run the streets and Steve Schneider is still a god down here along with his side kicks knarler Dave Turner.

It's been a long ride to get to Natales with our 400 pounds of gear. Customs was challenge-less and thank the gods for Amy Jo! Let me tell ya.... She rocks! She had the itinerary planed down to a T! From the flight, to the buses, to the Hostel.... 

Oh the Hostel... Erratic Rock! This place is the best Bill, Rustyn, and Bills brother Paul, run one hell of a show. So much so that the beds were full here, but they had a plan! They had Molly.... A beautifully painted hippie van parked out front with a bed and all. 

So now we sit in the Base Camp Bar; Paul's portion of the hostel reuniting with good friend and good times. The boys are smoozing the Ames.....and...I'm... Sitting in the corner writing to the Blog?.... I gotta go! 

Keep you updated!

	Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo]

	Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo]

	Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo]

	Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo]

	Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo]
		Topic Author's Reply - Dec 7, 2014 - 07:00am PT Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] Molly! Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] Paul & Bill Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] It's paint on the dog... With polka dots Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] These guys are knarly! Credit: Myles Moser [Edit this Photo] So the three guys in the above photo are doing the first unsupported track across the Southern Ice Cap. Ryan Waters( www.mtnprofessional.com), Eric Larsen (www.ericlarsonexplore.com), and Josiah Holwick. Coyte is the lady on the right a local guide helping them plan over some maps and contacts. Will get there blog soon! Laters got some shopping to do!

Well, here we go again!

Destination unknown.... Secret walls in secret places!

Keep you posted!

That's all!

Gripped by Benny!

What do you get when you mix a blond wig, way too much testosterone, a 13 foot painters latter, 3'000ft of fixed rope and a director named Benny?

You get Gripped!

"Greggy... Greggy... Greggy!" the damn walkie talkie chimes in!

Thats Ben, getting a hold of Greg, the camera man, as he supports a $165k camera.

Greg yells cut!

I'm Brett currently, the screen name I'm stunt climbing for... The wig is terrible, as I eat the whipping hair. Amy is Rose, Brett's girlfriend. 

The base line.... Brett n' Rose meet, fall in love, go climbing, Brett takes big fall, Rose...  Inexperience, has to save the day.

"Rolling!".... Greggy yells!

I'am now 10ft above my equipment.... And I have to let go! 

Twenty feet later, I'am dangling at the end of the line. 

Good old Benny.... Chimes in... "Can you do that again?"

So, another twenty foot whipper goes down.

Amy is sunburnt and I'am rattled....that's a rap!

The Movie is called Gripped. Follow it here.

https://www.facebook.com/grippedthemovie/timeline?ref=page_internal

Here is the the team....

 

This is Ben or Benny the director...aka shit brick-house

Greggy... The man!

Greg again!

The crew... Chris Orozco, Amy Jo, Greggy and Taylor.

Everyone thrashed and beaten.

Taylor... Our medic, rigger and rad dood

A latter...don't ask!

Ah.... The wig!

 

The Globe, a dome in Plain Sight; Whitney Portal

The Globe, 5.10R Whitney Portal

For some reason this year I hate walking. I don't want to walk further than the car bumper to go climbing. I don't want to shoulder a heavy bag or really see what's further in the back country. I know how much walking will be done down South...With heavy bags and soggy trails...

So I recently have become a sport climber! Once again, clipping bolts is so easy....Taking grand whippers and pushing the limits has been so fun!

But, it was time to take a walk....(Ugh, walking) and put the dancing shoes on and a hammer in hand. High above the Whitney Portal, there is dome in plain sight. So far up the hillside no sane person would want to venture to for some "Pinchie Dome". I casually pointed it out to a few, but why would one want to go that far?

Well, no one has ever said I was sane.  So it was time to drop the Globe. And there is no better partner for such a climb....

Ames and I started by soloing the Adventure Climb, Ummagumma, for 2,000ft. so we could drop in right onto the Globe.  Shwacking and shortcuts never work out and sand slogs still suck!

We went from the bottom to the top for five absolutely, amazing pitches. Burning calves from stance drilling and a wobbly hammer head, about to fly  into the abyss with every swing, made the adventure all the more exciting. Golden granite that resembled that thing in the ditch called El Cap and climbing that managed to still blow our minds, made this day out....Epic! 

Yeah, I know it's only about 600+ ft tall, but it was some of the best climbing I have done for a long time. Three bolts, lots of airy climbing, beautifully bold run-outs and virgin granite... The little red line has been drawn!

We got our tickets for Chile!

Heading South! Torres del Paine here we come!

Thanks everyone for your support! We are slowly piecing together every item we need for the trip!

A huge shout out to KAILAS CLIMBING GEAR, THE AMERICAN ALPINE CLUB(you should all become members), CLIF BAR, ELEVATION SIERRA ESSENTIALS( for keeping Amy employed and all the sweet hook ups)THE WHITNEY PORTAL STORE( for keeping me employed)AND THE RUBBER ROOM(for always doing an awesome job on our climbing shoes).

We fly out on December 3rd and return February 25th. 

The goal..... The East Face of the Central Tower of Torres del Paine!

Amy has been guiding a ton in the Sierras and helping Elevation the rockin' climbing shop in town. She has been kicking some ass in the back country, on some major climbs. I have been.... Cooking... A lot! Still sneaking out though, developing some really exciting sport climbs in the Alabama Hills. Trying to push a different vision out in a place I hold so close. We have bagged a couple big things this year, but not anything really to write home about. We got some exciting adventures coming up that we will clue you in on later.... 

Oh, we also are stunt doubles for a film called GRIPPED. Pretty wild! Get payed to go climbing!

Till then... Keep it real and always find a new adventure in whatever you are doing!

American Alpine Journal!!! Our Recon Article

The Recon Piece for the American Alpine Journal 2014 has finally arrived at our front door...well, in our case, the PO Box:)  Big thanks to Doug Robinson, local climbing legend and dear friend, and Dougald McDonald, editor of the AAJ, for helping us write this piece.  The American Alpine Club is an awesome organization which has given us grants for both our Torres del Paine trips.  It offers free international rescue insurance for members, and sends out an awesome journal each year which features the most significant climbs around the globe.  

The very nature of the Recon piece is to give viewers a secret look at the potential of an area...so now, go get some!

FREE FOOD FOR THE TOWER! .....CLIF BAR

CLIF BAR has decided to give us some goods for our up coming adventure to Torres Del Paine, Chile. Pretty awesome! We have bars for days. We have currently had to hide them in a safe place in our tiny haboad, to keep our grubby hands off of them. Thanks a bunch, to The American Alpine Club, which put Clif in contact with us. A huge thanks to Jeff Deikis from the American Alpine Club and Nikki Ferenz from Cliff and Company for there support and help in making our trip easier. 

Here is what we are heading back South for... The Central Tower! 4,000ft of crazy Granite!