Trip Report Archive

The finals were a perfect show with incredible problems. I must say that this was the best finals I have competed in. The problems were all different styles and certain ones suited different climbers.

In the fall of 2011 LT11 made the pilgrimage to one of the most sacred climbing destinations in the world, Yosemite Valley.  This trip was a big deal because it was the culmination of three years of hard work and the perfect excuse to get everyone together to tell our story.

I first got word of a potential new project in Rocky Mountain National Park from Dave Graham in May of 2011. The climb is located a few hundred feet past the Moraine Park turnoff, on the right hand side of the road. An obvious landmark to look for is the raging river filled with house sized boulders, running underneath the road bridge. You park in a pull out just past the bridge on the right and run a few hundred feet up the hillside into the woods.

Sean Mccoll has been on a tear in Swizerland, dispatching some of the most difficult boulder problems the country has to offer.  Below is Sean's personal account of his first 12 days in Switzerland including all of the details that are normally left out of a standard trip report.

When people think about Colombia a few things immediately come to mind: Pablo Escobar, drugs, violence, and political unrest.  That is what we thought of when our team of seven Americans and one Colombian native were planning our trip to Bogota.  The idea of traveling to a dangerous country in search of undeveloped rock was beyond exciting, it was a no holds barred adventure.

“What could possibly go wrong?” asks Chris Weidner, my climbing partner, as I join him at the top of the last snow coulier. Our gear is buried here, eagerly deposited yesterday when plans of rock climbing seemed reasonable.

“For a group of Americans in Iran? Nothing!” I answer what has become our trip’s motto, and I begin to dig through the fresh powder.

We all know that Europe has the best limestone crags on earth… but should also understand that Europe makes the best climbing shoes too.  In particular, Italy and their La Sportiva climbing shoes...

“How could this even remotely be considered a five-star route?” I thought to myself as I annoyingly pawed my way up a characterless, lichen-encrusted slab. Struggling with yet another 5.11 two-move-wonder crux, I whined up at Kate, hanging at the belay, “These pitches are like bad routes set in the climbing gym!” They were contrived, forced and awkward.

I spent this January sport climbing in Geyik Bayiri, which is located near Antalya, in Southern Turkey.  It's an incredible place for vacation style sport climbing in winter. The sea is visible from the crag and there are snowy mountains behind. The climbing is exactly what one might expect from Mediterranean limestone: tufas, stalactites, pockets; in short, anything and everything enjoyable to climb on.

Warpath lies in Castle Rocks, Idaho beneath the infamous Comp Wall, which has many classic Tony Yaniro routes from back in the day. The scenery consists of big snow capped mountains in the background, with giant, egg-shaped, white granite boulders in the foreground. Surrounding these boulders is sand, pine trees, and cacti. This area resembles Bishop and Hueco all in one.

Switzerland: The Good, The Bad, and the Beautiful
By: Jon Glassberg

Team America, comprising of Paul Robinson, Carlo Traversi, Connor Griffith, and myself, spent a total of two months in Switzerland, climbing and soaking in the culture. We had some ups, some downs, and even some sideways, all leading to one decisive conclusion: Switzerland kicks ass.

I’ve been climbing for more than 15 years now, and this past August I made my maiden voyage to the City of Rocks in Idaho. Honestly, now that I’ve been there, I cannot believe I waited that long.

The Triple Crown Bouldering Series is the largest outdoor bouldering series in the Southeast. The three events take place at three of the best boulder fields the south has to offer. This was the 7th year the event was held and it drew quite a crowd. If you are looking for a fun outdoor climbing event and you enjoy meeting new people, the Triple Crown is for you.

Access issues and park fees have turned people off of Hueco, but really the hassles and the money are well worth it. Planning ahead and being organized is key. Those who show up during peak season without booking park reservations ahead of time will find it hard to even get into the park.

One of the best bouldering areas in the west has to be Joe’s Valley, UT. With its beautiful black and tan boulders, perfect pockets, sumptuous incut crimps and tacky fine grained slopers, Joe’s comes far closer to perfection than most areas.

The northwestern United States is well known as a destination for rock climbing, featuring areas like the incredible Smith Rock, Index, the boulders of Leavenworth and the bold, lengthy routes of the North Cascades. Tucked in between those national destinations are a number of impressive local cliffs that have mostly remained below the radar despite boasting a handful of excellent climbs.

...West Virginia. The New River Gorge. What does it mean to me? For starters, it brings to mind the best sandstone I have ever climbed on!

On February 12th, I travelled to Bishop for my 2-week spring break.  I went to Bishop with two of my friends from Vancouver: Jamie Chong and Laura Crowe-Hutchon.

Yosemite. Enough said. Enjoy your climbing! Need I say more??

The Wind River Range in western Wyoming is one of the premier backcountry locations in the American West. It features towering granite walls, big alpine glaciers, textbook-worthy glacier-carved valleys and spires, cooperative and predictable 3-season weather, and an infinite number of cross-country travel routes.

On Friday, October 16, 2009 three incredible women and I embarked on a fast and furious weekend of adventure to celebrate a birthday and also to enjoy one passion we all have in common, distance running.

The Red is a 10. It is perhaps the best, most extensive sport climbing area in the United States and much more potential exists. It offers great traditional options as well, and you will find routes at all grade ranges that are aesthetic and enjoyable.

As the thick, long needle pulled out of my shoulder all I could think about were the sunny orange boulders in the Rocklands of South Africa. All of my friends were making their maiden voyage to the bouldering mecca this year and I had hoped to accompany them for my second trip. But similarly to last year, about a month before our departure, I found myself with a connective tissue injury.

I was on my back, sprawled out on a sort of flat boulder, looking up at Wanderdu’s vast expanse. The 800-foot wall was moving into the shade—but not enough yet to climb on. We were in northern Mali and climbing in the sun was out of the question.

Over the month of December, I decided to break from the norm of going climbing in Hueco Tanks or Bishop and headed down South to an area in Arkansas called the Horseshoe Canyon Ranch. From what I had scene in videos and heard from friends, this place is full of high-grade sandstone bouldering resembling Fontainebleau. As to what I had pictured, this was true.