Tuesday, December 28, 2010

Close Call

Please Read This!!

About two weeks ago I went out to Eldorado Canyon for a mid-December day of mellow cragging. Starting out on a few easy climbs, the fresh air filled in my lungs, and the sun warmed my back. What a perfect day for climbing. I led up another easy route, and lowered down a harder climb to the right that I wanted to check out. With an 'R' rating, i wanted to make sure I could place enough gear that I wouldn't get hurt. (I smashed up my knee pretty fierce last year and cant afford a bad fall on it). Satisfied and psyched, i told my partner to dirt me. I settled into the rope as he began to lower me. Suddenly i was dropping faster than I would like, thinking the rope was just slipping through the grigri too fast. I expected to be caught at any second. Horror set in as i realized that i wasn't stopping, but rather gaining speed, falling faster and faster. I hit the ground full force. Pain shot through my pelvis and low spine as I screamed out in pain. I still had no idea what happened.

People ran from all directions. The pain blinded me, searing through the core of my being. A rescue team was called in, and before I knew what was happening, i was being taken down the side of the mountain in a litter. The ride down was not as comfortable as I was told. The 'bean bag' cushion that they tried to pump up with air and place under me had a hole in it. I felt every bump and jolt, and by the time we reached the ambulance my entire body was numb with pain.

After reaching the ER and having a few rounds of X-rays, I was cleared to stand up and walk out on my own accord. I could fight through the pain, at least knowing i wouldn't end up paralyzed in a wheelchair.

I am incredibly lucky that I didn't break any bones. I did spend over a week straight in bed on pain killers, wincing in pain with every move and every breath. It hurt to just lie there. I had serious whiplash and deep bone bruising of my pelvis, sacrum, and lower vertebrae, where i had landed on a rock jutting up into my back. However, i had landed in the only little 'flat' spot possible. Had i fallen a foot to the right or left, or kicked out from the wall at all while being lowered, or if I had been dropped from even a few feet higher, the outcome could have been much more critical, if not fatal. I was not wearing a helmet.

My partner and i had climbed regularly for a year and a half and I had no reason to question his ability. However, one day, one climb, one mistake is all that it takes. He had noticed that we probably would not have enough rope to lower me all the way to the ground. (I could have easily downclimbed to the ground). He had thought about tying a knot at the end of the rope a few times ... but never did. He simply let the end of the rope slip through the grigri and sent me plummeting into the unknown.

Please, take my experience as a cautionary tale. No matter how long you have climbed. No matter how much experience you have, always remember that your partner's life and safety is in your hands. All it takes is one bad decision, one skipped safeguard .... and things could end in tragedy.

I'm am still quite sore and stiff. I am sure it will take awhile for all that to work out of my body. However, I feel so blessed to be walking and starting to climb again. I wanted to share my story as a reminder to everyone to take this sport that we do seriously. A level of comfort is definitely a good thing, but always double-check yourself and your partner.

Also, in the future, I will be much more ready to wear a cumbersome, dorky-looking helmet to protect my noggin, because you really never know what might happen.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Fall 2010 update

Happy holidays everyone! Been a while since I posted, so here is an update.... during late summer I was working on three different projects in my home region. Two trad lines in the Adirondacks and one super long term line at the Marshfield cliff in VT that is mixed with bolts and some gear. I have been trying this line for over three seasons, it took me a season and a half just to figure out and do each move. I might have done it last fall but was stymied by incipient seeps that formed on a couple of crux holds. This year after a long dry spell I poured everything I had into it and managed to send it in late September. Its called 'Stoning the Fascist' and felt somewhere in the mid to upper 5.14 range for me. It was a bit hard to grade due to being not my style....quite a bit more bouldery and less sustained than the other hardest routes I've done... so I suggested 5.14b. It always amazes me how after two years of the route feeling impossible, when I finally did it I felt like I could have lowered down and done it again straight away...such a cool process how your body learns and understands the movement and your mind learns to believe...

The middle crux of Stoning the Fascist.

The first crux of Stoning the Fascist...one of the best boulder
problems I've ever done on a rope.


A couple of weeks after sending the Fascist a great evil thing called a hurricane charged up the east coast outta the carribean and sent a deluge from hell over New England....4 inches of rain over two days. That pretty much ended my hopes of sending either of the other projects I wanted to do this fall. They both got wet and stayed wet...game off in the first week of October....time to hit the gym and train a bit for a trip to Kentucky and the Red River Gorge.
Trying a line at the Gold Coast, Red River Gorge.

After a few failed attempts to find a suitable project for my two week trip, I resigned to just trying lots of routes and onsights. I ended up onsighting 4 13a's, flashing a 13a and a 13b, redpointing three other 13b's, two 13'c second try, and a pesky 13d (pictured below) called Swing Line that I'd tried a bit on a previous trip.

Onsighting 'Easy Rider' a new 13a at Drive by.


After returning to Vermont from Kentucky I got an invite to a rare occurrence, an adult route competition at Allez Up climbing gym in Montreal. I've only had the chance to compete in a roped route comp twice before at the US Nationals Route Comp, last year(where I punted hard) and a few years ago.
Anyway it gave me something to look forward to and to train for in the growing darkness of December here in the north. Here are a few pics taken by the gyms manager Nic Charron, of a qualifier route and the final route which I managed to onsight to win the comp. Being a route setter it was a real treat to be on the receiving end for a change and get to try to flash and onsight four quality routes over the course of the weekend...props to head setter Fred Charron and his crew for the great comp!


Happy New Year
Peter Kamitses
Burlington, Vermont

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Washington's first (in resort) Pow Day

The stars aligned a few days back and Washington's first official powder day came to town and it couldnt have been better. Bluebird, blower powder, a couple feet deep? These days only happen once or twice a year here in Washington so I took full advantage of it.
Atomic was having their "Tour de Shred" event so, being a shop employee, made it possible for me to rip around on the Atomic skis of my choice all day with Sage Cattabriga-alosa and Molly Baker (two Atomic pro team riders), which summed up the day in one word- Perfection.
Here is some action I caught with the GoPro HD,
Enjoy!


video

Let it snow,

Ethan Fortney


Friday, December 10, 2010

Hallway Couloir

Back in the Wasatch Mountains. My winter home and training grounds.

Here Is the Hallway Couloir as the Skierboyz open it for the season.

Here's a pic I took looking down one of the easier crux moves. We didn't take the time to stop and take pictures at the main crux where there are a few small mandatory cliff drops.

Suicide Chute

The next day me and two other Skierboyz are making our way to the top of the Suicide Chute. Another shot that is a must ski. The way Suicide faces it just stares at you when skiing further up Little Cottonwood.

We did some waiting on the the top for a party of two that must have seen our booter and wanted to take advantage of it. I was glad to have my Mammut Pro shell with me to keep the wind on the top from beating in to my bones.

Alta

As most know not only does the Little Cottonwood canyon have amazing backcountry and slackcountry it's also home to some of the best powder skiing and my home resort, Alta.

This is what the first two weeks of the season where like. Just some of the best powder skiing anyone could wish for.

Be safe and stay warm and dry.

Peace Dylan Crossman

http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/231000020_v_1012/PULSE+Barryvox.html

http://www.mammut.ch/en/productDetail/101008880_v_5325_XXL/Alyeska+Jacket+Men.html



Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Out Of My Element

I spent the month of November in Austria on what was intended to be a climbing trip. I started out in Brixen Italy at the International Mountain Summit to compete in the Bouldering Festival. It was fun competing in front of such an excited audience. When we made it back to Innsbruck we planned on climbing in Switzerland later in the week. but the weather had taken a turn for the worse, and it looked to stay that way... for the remaining three weeks I was there. What little climbing we were able to get in between bursts of rain and snowstorms was spectacular. We climbed in the Arco area, where the climbing was definitely unique and the views from the cliffs were beautiful. What ended up being the highlight of this trip for me was what happened when the weather wasn't good. In the city and at the crags it could be snowing... but high up on the peaks of the Austrian Alps the sun shines clear and bright. And the skiing is magnificent! Who knew that all you had to do was climb out of the fog to reach the sunny slopes and blue skies? (Well everybody in Austria knows, they ski all the time.) But it was a wonderful surprise for me! As a non-skier, the fresh powder definitely took some getting used to, but the views were something I could gaze at forever. I had never seen anything like what I saw on those pists; bright snow-covered mountain tops peeking out through the clouds that were blanketing the city below. What a sight! Needless to say, my climbing-turned-skiing trip to Austria has anchored a new passion in me, opening my eyes to a whole new world of extreme to get excited about.
~ALEX JOHNSON

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Mt. Niceness-"Winter Two Thousand Heaven" Vol. 1 Sun Valley

Greetings and Happy Winter!

Ullr is smiling on us and blessed us with some great early season snow! Here is some from footy from Sun Valley. I am rocking my Mammut ski uni from 3 years ago....the Nirvana Jacket...still bomber gear!

It feel great to back on my skis and see all my winter friends. Winter is a really special time of year. Get out and celebrate the snow!



Enjoy,
Danny Walton

video

Saturday, December 4, 2010

Swiss Trip, Winter's Here, and Rehab Video


In mid-November I spent two weeks in Switzerland. I participated in the premiere of the the new Eiger Extreme Line, gave some slideshows, toured the factory, met with product designers, and even snuck in some bouldering. I also climbed the West Face of the Eiger, to be part of the new add campaign for the Eiger Extreme Line. It was a gorgeous day, and I'm sure the add image will be pretty spectacular! Peep the photo above by Dave Watson.

Back at home in Colorado, winter is finally here, and I've been getting out for some mixed climbing in the local hills. There's some great winter climbing in the Estes area, so it's nice to have lots of new places to explore. It's also pretty cool to be able to sneak down the hill towards Boulder, when the sun is out, and get out rock climbing, something that took a bit more effort during Rifle winters! Top photo of me on Mixed Emotions Direct (M8ish), courtesy Jacob Fuerst. (jacobfuerst.com)
Finally, earlier this fall Jacob Fuerst put together a short video about my recovery. (Still working to get back, pun intended, that remaining 1o%, but felling better all the time!) There's some pretty funny footage of the water aerobics class. Hope you enjoy it, and check out Jacob's site. He's a talented photographer, climber, and badass wingsuit basejumper! Link below:
Hope your all having a great start to you winter, and looking forward to the Holidays!