Zion National Park

Bryce Canyon National Park

Capitol Reef National Park

Chasing The Sun

Christian Prellwitz- 'Blankety Blank (sit)' (v6/7)

'Black Box Arete Right' (v3)

Lucy Hidden sending an unnamed v1

Castleton Tower

'Split Boulder Left' (v2)

'La Derecha (sit)' v3

Below The Sky

Christian Prellwitz 'Desperate' (v4)

We managed to find some dry rock yesterday out at the Atomic Energy Boulders. The drive in was quite muddy and the approach involved wallowing through shin deep snow but the climbing was still fun.

All Fires- AEC Bouldering

The sun sets over the La Sal Mountains

Christian Prellwitz- 'Smile Left' (v3/3+)

It's been a very cold and snowy December so far, which has made climbing outside quite difficult. I've had several planned road trips get shut down by big snowstorms. With the busy Christmas period just around the corner, I was desperate to get on some real rock. Luckily, the weather was quite beautiful yesterday and I was able to make it out to the Atomic Energy Boulders with a couple of friends.

'Dare To Compare' (v2/3)

Simon Hutton- 'Breaking The Waves' (v0+/1, from the stand)

Hannah Gordon- 'Sunshine Arete' (v0)

'Broken Feet' (v1/1+)

'Red Baron' (v0)

'All fires have to burn alive to live...'

The Good & The Bad

Christian pulling into the crux of the 'Green Wall Center' (hard v6).

Hannah, Simon and I finished our trip with several outstanding days in the Buttermilks and a rest day spent exploring Mono Lake and the Obsidian Dome. The climbing went well with everyone making progress on their projects. Unfortunately our last day took a bad turn when I fell onto a sharp branch that penetrated several inches into my leg. A trip to the emergency room and four stitches rectified the problem, but that was the last bit of climbing I would do. Not the best way to leave Bishop, but sometimes you have to take the bad with the good.

Hannah trying to trust her feet on the 'Rubber Tester' (v0).

Simon approaching the top of an unnamed v0 on Ranger Rock.

The spectacular tufa of Mono Lake

Obsidian Dome

Mono Lake

Mono Lake

Bristlecone Pine Forest

more photos from the bristlecone pine forest...

Fall Trip To Bishop

Christian finishing up the wonderful 'Rio's Secret Arete' (v3)

Needing to satiate my climbing fix before a long winter of skiing, I headed to Bishop for ten days of bouldering. My Australian friends, Hannah and Simon, flew into California a few days into my trip and joined me in Bishop. This was their first real taste of climbing and they were both able to get up some good lines. Hopefully, this is just the start of their climbing careers!

Simon Hutton grappling with 'The Groove' (v0-)

Figuring out the beta on the new and improved 'Sucker Punch' (now v5/5+)

'Carrot Top' (v3)

Bishop

I'm back in Bishop again. The climbing has been going really well! More pictures and info soon...