I just want to give a shout out to Lacey LaDuke a great young talented photographer from Post Falls Idaho. Thanks for sending me the pics. Check her shit out at flickr.com she is going places with her work.

Syringa boulder "The Bread Loaf"

I have been working this boulder problem on the Upper Syringa mtn bike trail. Fun lowball traverse. Thin feet and sloper hands with a muscle up for a top out. Fun problem. Throw on the running shoes and get your cardio along with a good pump. It's a good climb.

Getting there. Hike the

trail until you come to the "Y" where you have a choice to head straight down to the Power line right of way head down the hill until you get almost to the bottom then cut into the trees (west) and catch the trail again. Head up the hill until you get to a large long rounded boulder that looks much like the heal of a round loaf of bread. Climb the steep side in the cleft. Bring a brush, I didn't get all the lichen off yet.

I know it seems like a long way to go for one boulder. Well, its North Idaho, the granite is well glaciated. But, these boulders are fun for a little afternoon outing. And the problems are usually really hard so you are only going to get to work one one anyway. Speaking of running and bouldering. I am planning on doing my granite ridge biathlon if anyone is interested. You can imagine what it entails

New GriGri technique

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Climbing at Stone Hill Montana

Sending, Eat Your Spinach


My friend Marc took this video of me climbing Eat Your Spinach and I did the editing, this was last year around July I think. Genie was belaying. Its pretty good footage for a digital camera, and my first time editing video. I plan on taking a video camera on more climbing trips this summer to document that great places I climb. Definitely more interesting to check out on a blog than just photos. This was a fun climb and invigorating. I skipped a bolt down low opting to use a marginal nut placement instead. My thought at the time was that the bolt was excessive. But, I am not a purist, or ethics monger. I know the climb gets done way more often with the bolt there and I am glad for that. Who wants to have to scrub your favorite climb every year just to hold to some arbitrary standard that only exists in a few climbers minds. So, you have an option solid bolt or iffy nut -- you choose.

Beginer Soloing

This looks like a great way to have a hell of a good day out. Although, I think it would be just easier to bring a rope and skip some of the clips up high for a more exciting whip. In all seriousness, I love their ingenuity. I am sure that all the rigging that went into this safety solo was well worth it. The thrill of the solo is still their, the sense of total commitment. Yet, in the end it is still just another climb without real commitment or consequence. Soloing is the epitome of mastery of the body and the mind as well as spirit. Men and women who taking on such life or death climbs do so knowing what the outcome will be to a great probability having spent a life time training up to such a climb. I guess the philosophical stuff really doesn't matter that much here. Its a great piece of climbing porn and you are, for a split moment lead to believe that when he falls its over -- I love it!