THE HARDEST MIXED SEND SO FAR !!!!!

On Christmas day, I had the opportunity to head out to the cave above the ice park with my good friend E House to give a goo to my project. It was sunny and in the warm side. I was feling pretty good energy wise, some words of encouragement from my friend and I went to send my first project of the season.

The proj is call The grand traverse of the cave grade? M hard. Harder that any other route in the cave where routes go up to M11+. It may off be the second or first ascent of this route. No really sure!!!

This is the hardest Mixed route that I have ever climb so far and this is enough for me.

What a great route.!!!!!!

Here is a over view of the route: Starts on the left side and start traversing all the way to the right. The opening sequence is pretty cool follow by quite dynamic climbing and finishing on a steep head wall the technical crux, where I had fall in previous attempts with 8 tries total is been the longest mixed climb for me to rep point in terms of tries. It was a great challenge especially mental one.

Photo of victory sharing great felling with a friend who has give me lots of inspiration and tons of encouragement. Plus he totally when out his way to give me a belay for the final send.

Thanks bro E House!!!!!

THE TALISMAN

The Ice conditions this winter in the San Juan's is been out the hook everything is ON!!!!!!

So far I had the opportunity to climb most of the classics like this one THE TALISMAN.

The talisman of one of the hardest classics where the climb is very steep and engaging especially in condition like this.

I had the opportunity to climb this route in the end of November with a climber who I consider one of the best and who I also had the chance to hang out and learn tons from. This guy have define what alpine climbing is all about. His name Steve House. He has been a great mentor and a person who have teach me lots of cool stuff in the short time that we have been climbing together. Thank for all the inspiration S H.

Here is a close up photo of what is waiting for us up there.

The first pitch we did in 2 because the difficulty of it. No much ice but lots of low angle unprotectable loose rock and frozen grass. quiet scary!!!!

We wore pretty busy dealing with the second pitch that we didi not have time to shot some photos, but let me tell you that it was pretty dam hard.

Here Steve leading the 3 pitch very steep ice. keep in mind that we wore the first team to climb this route this season so everything was very fresh and is usually harder.

After the good climbing with a great friend and climbing partner was time for a WE ARE IN ONE PIECE and ALIVE photo. great times Steve thanks again brother :)

ICE NIGHT IN COLORADO SPRINGS

This year was the 4 annual ice night in Colorado springs.

The ice night is basically an indoor climbing demonstration where you can dry tool in indoor climbing holds and swing into the ice holdz.

Lots of people come to see and people from all levels can climb and check out what this event is all about. definitely good times!!!!!! Some sending on the dry tool route long moves very fun!!!!!
In the second chance that we had to climb the route and since no body have make it to the top on the the first try, I was able to make the fardest on the route. In the end, the route still not send, but we all had great time!!!!!

NEW DRY TOOLING AREA IN OURAY

I got to Ouray in mid October super psyched to be back in the San Juan's to see my friends to climb especially mixed climb and train for the winter projects and competitions.

Since last winter I have been thinking about this wall who would be perfect for my training, climbing and every body's enjoyment to climb new mixed, (more realistic) dry routes.

As much of you know, (who ever have put up new routes) that is lots of work. right !!!

picking the line, figure it out where and how you are going to bolt it, cleaning all the lose rock and then and last SENDING IT !!!!!!!!

Conditions were perfect. Sunny, warm and dry. I gather some gear that I got from my friends Clint Cook and Steve House who very nice and help me out and there I went. The mission is on the way !!!!!!!!!
First I start with the steepest part of the wall where the lines there are pretty cool looking a series of roofs where the climbing looks very interesting.

This roof is very cool feature and climbs really cool too....
Little bit on the hard side to bolt. My back was pretty work after I finish with it...
Then from the roof down is was pretty fast to figure it out where the line should go.....

Especially with a Hilti power drill soooooo much better than hand drill how I usually drill in the desert with.

After some long day is all done ready to be climb the first of 4 routes who are going to be put up in the course of this winter. Is time to SEND.

My good friend Bryan Gilmore who is a bad ass and myself agree that is about keep it real M8

Maybe a big harder!!!!

I wanted to thank Anita who help me out on the bolted day, Clint Cook for the drill and drilling kit and Steve House for the hangers. Many thanks Amigos !!!!!!!!!

ROCK OURAY

In the beginning of Nov here in Ouray, we had a super fun rock climbing competition that my good friend Kevin Copprek organize.

The comp was a endurance comp. 1:30 min of climbing with the same partner. Both climbers had to lead the routes from 5.10 to 5.12 and one "alpine route" a 5.6 that we had to climb with a 35 pound back pack. There were 6 teams of pretty good rock climbers specially the locals who know all the routes move by move.

I had the pleasure of having Steve House as my partner so we wore all psyched to climb for 1:30 straight

Before the comp starts, the rain came down on us but everybody including the spectators wore psyched to roll with the program.

And their we goo. the Clock start and is climbing time.

It was my first time climbing with Steve, and let me tell you that it was super fun.

Here he is climbing in the middle of the rain after 7 pitches of 5.11- Our strategy was climbing the alpine route as much as we can since that route had the most points of all. Super sketchy climbing the wet slab with a heavy pack in my running shoes.
Check this one out here of all us on the sharp end climbing as much pitches as we could.
In the end, our strategy paid out and we end up having the most points of any of the teams

taking first place. Here a photo of Steve and I with our points card. Super fun times climbing with my partner sharing some god times with all the other climbers and being cheering by lots of spectators. Thanks to everybody for the good times and looking forward for next year

ROCK OURAY ENDURO COMP.

CHICAGO MARATHON

This last October, I had the opportunity to go to Chicago and checkout the Marathon.

My awesome girl friend Anita was running the Marathon to help a fund raise in central Mexico.

Anita's Mom start 11 years ago CASA DE LOS ANGELES. It is a day care for single moms with very little $ to raise their kids.

The Chicago Marathon is the main event where they had the opportunity to raise money for a great cause. In the end they end up raising over 40,000 dollars. that it is the double down in mexico. WAY TO GO :)

The marathon was a great event to watch over 35,000 people run that every year. Super inspairing. In terms of distance Marathons a 24 miles. So for most of us it will take more than 3 hours of running no stop~!!!!! People from all over the World run in this event plus they have the chance to check out the city that way to. Here is Anita with her awesome smile she keep it for 24 miles straight. Pretty cool.
Lots of funny al cools things to see along the Marathon.

In the end is was a great time on the city. What a great experince looking forward for next year. Here is a little video of the start of the race. Some people thats what they do for living run marathons especially the Africans how are the BEST runners in the world. Check it out.

WEEKEND IN SALT LAKE CITY

After Yosemite and on my way to COLORADO, I stop in SLC to hang out with my good friend Pablo.We start the weekend climbing sending in American Fork. It was my first time there or me so Pablo was showing me the place.
Pablo sending. The rock there is pretty cool Limenstone with lots of good friction.

After the climbing day I went to check out the Drop Zone in Ogden how is North of SLC.

Do the winds they wore bot jumping :( Is all good next time.

Since we could not go Sky Driving, we end up shooting Pablos guns on the local shooting range.
Ho yeah baby good times burning some shots.

HALF DOME IN A DAY

After having little hard time finding the right person for the mission that I wanted to do, plus the temperatures at the valley, Finally all the start line up and I got the chance to find my right partner and the temps wore great.

I wanted to climb this formation for a long time. The Half Dome. It is one of the most spectacular formations on planet Earth.

The approach is kinda long so keeps most of climbers out this awesome piece of rock.

We decided to climb the North West Regular route 5.12 a 24 pitches.

Here in Camp 4 Getting ready for our climb. Checking all the gear and making sure that we had enough. Our gear consist in:

2 set of cams up to 2,

singles in 3 and 4,

12 shoulder slings,

1 single 70 M Blue water Pulse rope,

1 Blue water 70 M tag line (super sweet for the chimneys to haul the pack up)

1 little back pack with 3 litters of water, bars and other goodies.

We wanted to climb this route on a single push either of us have had climb this route before, so the anticipation of on- sighting a route of this caliber was pretty big.

Fortunate I had a great partner that I meet in Camp 4 a super strong Basque climber, with a supper good sense of humor and very positive human been. His name is Miquel. What a cool DUDE!!!!!! Here Miquel approaching the Half Dome via the slaps. Check out the back ground!!!!!

This approach was little on the heads up. But with awesome views.
Once at the base of the route where we bivy, we wore doing the last preparations before we lounge next morning.

This is a view of the wall form down bellow. The wall is North facing so offers shade until 2:30 or so and then the sun hits it. Pretty good combo little chilly in the morning, but you know that El Sol is coming to warm you up :)

IS ON!!!!! climbing time. We decide to climb the wall in blocks of 5 pitches. We did it in such a way that I end up leading all the chimneys and OW's. I start the route with a good warm up of polish 5.10 c. We wore super PSYCHED !!!!!!!!!! After 5 pitches it was time for Miquel to take the lead. After we switch, we realize that it was a very strong French team with the same strategy in terms of climbing the wall in a day. Plus it was 2 other parties above us how wore climbing the wall in a wall style they already wore there for 2 days going for their 3 on the wall. We wore little concern about some many people on the route, but decided to carry on with our plan and know we wore in a friendly race with the Frenchies :)
After Miquel climb super fast his block, it was time for me to take over. This is the beginning of the chimneys I was super amp to climb this section. It is 4 pitches of old school 5.9 wide climbing. In this section we pass one aid climbing team and start having a good space with the french team since they wore not looking forward for this section.

Alright after loots of sketchy wide climbing where Miquel and I loss good amount of skin

we wore done with some people especially the Euros call the "crux" of the route.

My partner took over for the Sig Sag cracks they are 3 pitches of 5.11+ /12- at this point we encounter a little traffic jam and been just less than 8 pitches we decided that if could not on-sight this section it was all good we just wanted to make it up in a good time.

The French time wore moving supper fats. they wore doing all source of cool wall techniques short free climb fixing simul climbing :(, you name it very cool to See them the way they move.

They finally catch us at this section, but we all ready wore in front so we had the chance to chat little at the Big sandy ledge. Once Miquel was done with his section, it was time for me to take over. This pitch was my favorite one they cal this one the Thank God Ledge. you are about 2,000 feet of the deck and know you have to basically walk along side of this 80 feet side walk. it is awesome exposure. At this point I wanted to jump out this wall it would be a great place to do it :)
Miquel lead the last 3 pitches. Here he was able to snap a photo of me following with a great Sun light.
Top out at the last little day light. We enjoy the view and company got some water food head lamps on and start our descent. That part for was the scariest one going down the cables in the dark and very tired was interesting. Those cables are wayyyyyyyyyy steep that I very imagine considering that lots of hikers do it every day.

Summit photo with a great friend and climber.

What a good experience be able to climb a great piece of rock.

Many thanks Miquel for the good energy and great company. :)

THE AWESOME YOSEMITE

After some good days of sky diving, I decide to head down to Yosemite.

This place is awesome. El Capitan will take the breath away from you once to get to see it.

Yosemite not only offers great Climbing, but lots of very cool places the check out.

Kinda cool features in the middle of the rock faces.
I could just stay on the meadows and stir on the horizon fro ever. What a cool place !!!!!!!!