Wednesday, August 31, 2011

CHANGE OF PLANS

As yesterday, everything was going great until some no good news where given to us.
The travel agency comunicated to us that the price for uor expedition will be 3 times more that what we wore toll.
Lot of things got lost in comunication in the past couple of weeks between the germans travel agency and us.!!!!
Know it is basicly about 3,500 Euros per person with out warranty a pick up in the end of our trip !!!
Know we are back to zero in terms of plans and loigistics. The germans have the money so they will keep paying to that agency for lots of unsure things. We are now taking a plan B.
We will heading this afternoon to Naryn via Bus, talk to some contacts and see what we can do.
Our possiblities are : going to the Borkodoy range or the Ab-bashy range. Would see what up.
We will be giving more up dates once we know where we are going.

Tuesday, August 30, 2011

WE ARE IN KYRGYZSTAN !!!!!

Finally after a long 2 days of travel we finally are in Bishkek.
Our travel adventure was pretty funny: Everythiung start in Denver when we show up at the DIA with lots and lots of bags. They end up charging us for a extra bag 200 !!!!!! in our rush to get eveything together, we forgot to mark some of the bags. We where super concern since they left with out been mark. In the end eveything work just fine we got all the bags and life is good.
After living Denver, our next stop was LA. It was my first time on that city and for me was pretty mind blowing to see how big and caotic is it. The airport is huge and we find ourselfs running lots in order to get to our gate in time. We had to go to security there too!!!! I got the chance to pass firts I was waiting on Philippe then I saw all the security people running out off the room and screaming to everybody to don't move. My heart almost stop. Hoo man something really wrong is happening I'm outside of the room, but my partner still inside minutes pass and them the head officer thank everybody for been part of a security drill !!!!! I find myself little shaking after the adrenaline rush in my body. After that daventure we where in our way to wait for our plane to take us to Moscow. but firts we had other surprise when we end up running into the bass player of the Red Hot Chilli peppers on a pretty crazy out fit. After that we where in a plain heading to Moscow Russia. The flight was pretty pleasent and long too 12 ours left we where in Moscow Russia where we had to wait 6 hours for our final flight to Bishkek. Been in the airport in Moscow for 6 hours it was like been in a crazy wild human zoo all kinds of people from all over the World heading to everywhere in the World. After some time of waiting it was time for us to take the flight to Bishkek 5 hours later we find ourselfs in the capital of Kyrgyzstan. At this point I wasn't sure waht time and which day it was it's been soo long since I left home that not sure where the time has gone. After going to imigration in Bishkek our diver was waiting for he will take us tyo the hotel where we will be able to rest. In our way there, we realize that our driver it was draving pretty fast and on top of that start falling sleep while driving!!!!! I man this is it for us I was thinking. We start to talk to him an try to keep him awake but the dude was so tired that even with us talking he still keep falling sleep going super fast on the streets of Bishkek. Finally!!!!! We are safe in the door of our hotel where we can relax sleep and get ready to head out in to twon later on and check out the capital. For now is time to rest.

Monday, August 22, 2011

BACK IN COLORADO AND IS TIME TO PACK !!!!!!

Finally, I'm in Colorado and is time for me to start packing for my next adventure.
So many things to pack and not forget, it is kinda of crazy especially for a person who most of the time forgets something.
I have some time here in Grand Junction at my parents house and then I will be heading to Boulder to meet Philippe and do our final packing and then the 27 catch a plain to a country and a continent that I have never been before. Little scare to be honest but super psyched in the same time !!!!!

Once again I want to thank all the friends and family that are helping this dream happen.
Thanks to the Mugs Stump Grant, Millet, Petzl (Chuck Odette), 5.10 Shoes, Blue Water, GU, Ice Holdz. Thanks to my family and sweetie Annie, Clint Cook and the San Juan Mountain Guides, RMI, Brian Gilmore, Chad peele, Dr. Courtney, Mark "Coach" Miller, Steve House, and my homies that lent me stuff. Love you all !!!!!!!

We will be talking with Brian Gilmore via sat phone and he will be providing "GOOD" weather in his awesome forecasting skills :) also he will be up dating this blog. Stay tuned.

Thanks Brian !!!!!!

TRAINING IN THE NORTH CASCADES IN WA.

After a great season in Alaska and in MT Rainier, it is time for me to start training for my coming expedition. I got the opportunity to do some work and personal climbing in the North cascades and leavenworth area. This type of terrain it is a great training for my trip. Very long days alpine rock climbing are the prefect terrain for me to train. In the end I end up logging 109 hours of training in less than two weeks. Between approaching, climbing, Running and doing yoga. They all add up !!!!!

Great views into the enchantments after guiding the Dragon tail. this set up ( approach shoes and crampons) are the best set up for short snow and long rock climbs!!!!!!


A nice look to the Shuksan East face on our way to the fishers chimneys.

After some working trips I got the chance to go and check out some cool routes with my expedition partner Philippe here we got the chance to check out the Tempest wall and the scoop on the colchuk balance rock formation.
What a crazy looking pitch.


After some fun personal climbing it was time for me to go work. I did some work for the North west Mountain School. own by to good friends of mine. Here it is a look of the crux pitch on the Serpentine arete on the dragon tail. 2,000 of fun climbing up to 5.8

The colchuck lake it is a great place to refresh after a long and hot day of great alpine rock climbing.

In my last trip to this area I had the great experience to fire the dragon tail on a day!!!! This trip was a work trip where James AKA "dope on a rope" as he call himself :) and I climb the route in a 13 hours push from car to car. for me , it was like the PERFECT guiding day run the approach, fire the route and run back to the car!!!! I love it !!!!!!!! Thanks for the great Day James you are awesome dude !!!!
Here is how the route goes.

Great times with James. We had super good time all the way up and down.
Now is time for me to start heading South East to Colorado and start getting ready for the big trip.