AMGA GUIDE ALPINE EXAM

I just finish with the AMGA alpine exam that took place in the Cascades.
I'm super happy to finish with a long time goal of mine as a mountain guide to be rock and alpine certified.
The hole process took quite long time since in order to fill the pre requisites I had to spend lots of time working and climbing in the alpine terrain, plus I put the process to the side too in to focus in my personal climbing such going to the ice climbing world cup 4 years in a roll and expeditions abroad and climbing hard grades in ice and mixed climbing.

The exam was really fun. The examiners where friends and people who I have work for and people who have been part of my guiding carrier. Extremely knowledge guides. also my fellow guides that where taking the exam had a incredible great experience it was great lo learn from everybody there.
It was a total of three examiners and 6 examines. They where :

Examiners:
Tom (chuck norris ) Hargis
Jefe (el jefe) Ward
Vince (the american psycho) Anderson

Examinies:

Andres (the colombian missile) Marin
Mark (the next pin) Falender
Brian (one ice axe)  Warren
Andrew (sketchy) Councel
Lyle ( the fireman )
Mike (the man) Sousy

Truly was an honor share a rope with all this folks and thanks to you all for the great energy that we had on the exam.

The weather was incredible for the entire 10 days of the exam, something that it is very rare that time of the year in the cascade range. 

In this photo, our first objective. The North ridge of Torment peak a rare route that have very little info.

Our team was Lyle, Vince and Myself.  

The route is the central sky light 2, 000 feet of chaos climbing keep our spirits up !!! 

After finishing this objective we head to the North face of Shuksan.
This time I share rope with Jeff and Brian.

Great summit photo after climbing the North Face !!!!

All and all it was a great experience the exam and I'm super psyched to be done with it.
Thank to all the friends that help me getting ready and help me with all the little details that the exam have.   

SKY DIVING WITH THE PROS !!!

I had the opportunity to learn really cool things from amazing talented people, not only in climbing but in other sports that I have try and practice. My most recent sport that I pick up a few years ago is Sky Diving. My good friend Ben Mitchell turn me on in to this amazing and crazy sport on 2009. In this crazy journey I was not alone, I had two great partners in crime: Leon Davis and Chad peele. I got the chance to learn with those 2 and jump for first time with them too. In fact, we had the chance to see each other jumping out of control from Helicopters, Otters, C 182, Caravans and many other air crafts. The journey has been insane in a good and scary way too.
For me it is super inspirational to see and learn from such a great jumpers such as Andy Farrington and the boys and girls of Kapowsin air sports, Ammon Mcneely, Dean potter and other crazy sky monkeys.

Here are some cool pics of jumping :


First jump !!!! One of the craziest ones. Something about jumping from a perfect flying plain is totally counter intuitive. In the end, the fun just begone.
After completing the AFF (advance free fall course) it was for me to start jumping by myself and later on with friends.

After e few more jumps, I had the chance to do my first jump from a helicopter. By far the most incredible one to date. Jumping from helicopters you get the fell of free fall since the chopper is totally still by the time of the jump different than planes where they already go at 70 mph when you jump.
Here in this photo with Ben Mitchell.

Another cool jump that I did was from 18,000 feet. This one was especial since we had to use oxygen before jumping from the plane. before jumping from the plane.   

Gear up is one of the funnest part of the hole thing. is when the butterflies start to fly in the stomach

making sure that all the gear is functioning proper is vital for a safe jump.

This guy here is as hardcore and crazy as it gets. Andy Farrington is one of the most accomplish sky and BASE jumpers to date.

A Red Bull air force team member, 5.10 and others big companies athlete this fellow has been someone who have inspired me big time !!!!

One of his many cool jobs is to do stunts jumps for movies such as Transformers and the new Iron man movies the coolest part is he does this kind of jobs with his Mom how is a sky diving pioneer in the country. thanks for the inspiration Andy !!!!!!!!!       

All and all this jumping fun road has been super interesting where I had the opportunity to learn tons about such an incredible sport and also had the chance to learn about myself.

Keep the body and soul flying !!!!!! 

   

27 DAYS IN ALASKA

I just came back from an awesome trip to AK where I had the chance to spend

27 days in one of the most beautiful places on Earth. This is my six trip/ expedition 

on the range and every time I had the chance to see and climb in new places/ Mountains.

My original schedule consisted on teaching a Alpine seminar for 10 days for RMI.

After that I will be working for Skywardmountaineering where I will be assisting my good friend and mentor Vince Anderson guiding the North Buttress of MT Hunter via the Moonflower route.

Guiding this kind of objective it is as advance as guiding can get. It has never been guided before.

 After that I will be having about 10 days of personal guiding where I will be climbing 

some of the classics and hopefully be able to climb new routes. And off course the weather will determine how the plans will unfold. In the end of this trip I end up climbing  over 40 guide book pitches from ice to rock and mixed terrain. 

Everything start in Seattle where we ( Jason, gilbert and I )  flew to Anchorage. For this kind of trips is not such of thing as light weight traveling.

Once in Talkeetna it was time to pack and get ready to flight to the glacier. This little town it is one of my favorite to hang out. People from over the world come here to go climbing. From Talkeetna is where the flying happens to the range.  

The flying to the glacier is one of the coolest things about climbing in the range. For about 1 hour you get to fly at the same level or lower than the peaks. The landing can be little bumpy especially if it is fresh snow. This Bush pilots are incredible !!!!!!   We flew to the base camp of Denali where the view is incredible. A 360 degree of mind blowing peaks lay all around you.   

After our awesome flying it was time to set up camp. Here is where I will be leaving for the next month. Snow camping is pretty cool you can build all kinds of cool structures for the tent, cook tent, bathroom and storage unit.

This two great friends  Ann Gilbert and Jason are ones that I end up working with. Super great times with them. We had 6 super fun climbers in our seminar where we able to teach them all about expedition and alpine climbing that we could. from setting camp, to avalanche awernes to rescue and high altitude climbing, this 10 day seminar it was a great intro for any future expeditions.

Thank you all for the great times.     

In our seminar our first objective was the radio control tower.

This peak lays just behine the base camp. The climb it is very cool with a great views from the top including a first class view of the North buttress of MT Hunter. 

It was climbing time for us. All the group had a great learning experience. Here we put all our teaching and they put all the learning together for us to climb a cool peak in the Alaska range.   

10 days went pretty quick and the seminar was over. The group went home and I stay there to meet  my good friend and mentor Vince Anderson with him was Mark a super strong climber who been climbing with Skywardmountaineering for awhile. Their main mission was to climb the North buttress of MT Hunter AK grade 6, AI 6, M7. Thos route it has never been guided or atemptet to be guide. Since they end up getting stuck in Talkeetna for 3 days due bad weather, only left them with 4 days to make this happen, first we need it to go for a climb to warm up before go tackle the big one.    

Once Vince and Mark all setup in camp it was time for us to head and start climbing. Our first objective was the SW ridge of Franciss.

This ridge a classic climb on the base camp area it goes at 5.8 60 degree snow. We climb it in snowy conditions so fell little harder. 

Here Vince start us with a great mixed climbing form the get go. Snowy slab made this pitch a great one to climb.

We climb all the ridge and just about 500m from the top on the easy but steep snow slope, snow stability force us to turn around. I guess it wasn't mean to be to summit for us.

2 more weather days force us to stay put in camp once it clear up it was time for us to go climb the North Buttress. unfortunately we just had a day to climb before they had to fly back, so we decided to climb as high as we could check out some of the route and rappel down once the temps really get cool.

Off we go. Vince start leading the first 5 pitches. The biggening of the route was pretty cool a very tricky to cross bergchrund start our day. After that the ice climbing was super fun. we gain altitude quickly and exposure was incredible.  

5 pitches later it was me time to lead my block. The climbing start on a very interesting note with a  little section of funky steep ice with weird protection.

Really cool ice climb for 5 pitches and my block was over. Vince took over and it was time for him lead the crux pitch the PROW. 

A great photo of the crux pitch on a pretty good conditions. Usually this pitch is an Aid climb but this season it is enough ice where we where able to free climb.  

Vince got to lead this awesome pitch and mark and I both follow it. Hands down one of the best mixed pitches that I climb in the mountains.  

Mark here following the pitch. He send this section no problem. 

Once we finish this pitch, it was time for us to start heading down. I will be coming next season to climb this route. We had great time climbing together. Here Mark, Vince and Myself. 

After Vince and Mark left, I team up with a friend of mine from Slovenia to go climbing the mini moon flower. This route is a super Alaska classic.

We simul solo the bottom part of the route. pretty fun climbing!!!!

Spin drift got little much and then we decided to start pitching it out in blocks of 3 pitches at the time.

The crux pitch of the route was mid way up very cool delicate climbing on steep terrain mad this pitch one of kind.

7 more pitches of ice climbing puts on the summit ridge, that took us straight to the top.   

Shoot from the top of the route.!!!!!

  Over all a great experience with a great climbing partner. We climb a total of 15 pitches of alpine ice.
Would do this route again in a heart bit.


After couple days of rest and my trip coming to an end, I decided to head out for a solo mission to the East ridge of Francis. The climb is pretty mellow with a bit of steep snow. The hardest part was cruising the glacier and crossing some crevasses by myself other than that it was great time.

Once at the summit the wind really pick up I could barely stand, but the view still clear and spectacular.

I got the chance to see the Mascioli pillar a feature that impress me in the first time I got to see it 4 years ago and which it going to be my focus for next year's trip to AK.

Cool photo at the summit !!!!

After the climb and about 27 days at the glacier it was time for me to head back to civilization where nice warm shower and green plants and flowers where waiting for me.

     

Once back in Talkeetna it was time to hang out with some friends and celebrate life and the great times together in the mountains. Thanks to all who where part of the adventure: JT, GILBERT, VINCE ANDRESON , MARK CARTIER( in peace you rest my friend), COLIN HALEY, KYLE DEMPSTER, SLOVENIAN BOYS, BOZEMAN FRIENDS, MARK and LISA WESTMAN, GRAIC POPE, JESS ROSKELLY, ETC....  Looking forward for next year adventure in AK.   

ICE CLIMBING WITH CHAD JUKES

After climbing with all the boys and girls from paradox, I got the opportunity to help on a photo shot that my friend Chad Jukes who is one of the faces of paradox sports and who is a great ice climber had set up.
We climb a route on the upper bridge at the ice park.

Here are some of the photos from that session:

2012 WINTER RECAP !!!!

This past winter was one of the most awesome ones.  Tons of climbing lots of work great times with friends and even and injury made this past winter an unforgettable one.

Early on Nov while climbing at the cave above Ouray, I strain my MCL on my right knee. this injury put me on bed and without be bale to do much for the rest of Dec.  For a few days I thought that I had to have surgery and pretty much my winter and spring will be over in terms of climbing and work. with lots of good energy, rest, massages and physical therapy my knee recover 80% just in time for the ice fest. Where I had the best result so far I was one of the only 2 climbers to top the route. Pretty much a dream come through.  Just a week before that with my knee felling little funny and wearing a huge knee I got to send one of the hardest mixed routes that I have done. Cinnamon and cider M11 +, after the ice fest with my recovery still on schedule and having to wear the knee brace I did the FFA of  Brian's Gilmore new route and one of the hardest ones in the ice park. Lochness Monster M9+++ OR M10-. Either way that route was super low percentage with very scary stain pulls, on top of that and about a week later I repeat Bipolar M9+  and then, I place 4 at the Winter Teva Games. I finish my great season guiding the Bird Brain Blvd in very thing conditions and last but not least I was part of the Paradox Sports Ice program. Looking back I'm so psyched they way all paid out  I like to believe that things happen for a reason and that injury taught me lots.

Thanks to all who where part of the great 2012 winter.

Some of the press from this Winter include:
Photo on the 37 Alpinist issue
Alpinist news wire
Rock and Ice news wire (twice)
Daily planet news paper (twice)
Vail CO news paper (twice)
Rock and Ice Annual photo issue
New York Times news wire
New York Times Video

           

WEEKEND WITH PARADOX SPORTS

Last month I had the opportunity to be part of the Paradox Sports weekend that took place as every year in Ouray. We had the chance to climb all weekend long. Climbers with out legs, arms and even on wheelchair climb all day long. It was a total honor for me to be part of of that great event and be able to help as much as I could. They are a total inspiration for me. It helps me to remember that even when I have bad days I do have 100% great health, all my fingers, toes, arms and legs.
The energy of the weekend was awesome talking about good actitude, they have the best !!!!!



As an example here it is Sean O'neill sending some steep ice. We had he chance to work on a system for him to use for ice climbing.  

   

Saun having great times swinging away!!!!!!!!! 

All the crew and it fearless leader Malcom Daly.

Thank you Paradox Sports for letting me climb with you all. Totally looking forward for next year!!!  

TEVA GAMES

The first winter Teva games were a total success.

Many different mountain sports, including climbing, were part of the awesome and fun weekend that took place in Vail, Colorado.

The mixed competition structure that they made was like the ones that I have climbed on in the Ice World Cup in Europe.

Basically, it was two routes that mirror image each other and two competitors climbed head to head as fast as they can. Once at the top, they were lowered down to rest for 3 minutes, then switched sides and went again. The way the competition worked, was a single elimination format, pretty much if you lose against the other competitor you are out. If you win, you get to go to the next round and do it all again.

Because of the set up, unfortunately, there was not any ice on the structure. Instead, they put this new foam that you can swing into, like as if it was ice. It was pretty interesting, because nobody, not even the people who made it, knew how it would work.

Before hand we all met to talk about rules and how this whole thing is going to work.

Then it was time for the comp!!!!!

There was a total of 20 competitors, 17 men and only 3 women.

Because of the numbers, men and woman were in the same group.

The competition started, it was such a cool and fun format.

I got to go the second round after winning in the first.

Only 10 competitors got to move to the next round.

Next round went by and only 6 of us advanced. Once again refuel and get ready for the next round. the Competition is getting harder and harder. The next round would be the one that would determine who will go to the finals.

By this point we all knew the route pretty well and the time is getting faster and faster.

The round was super fast and we all climbed great. Now there was only 4 of us to go to the final. At this point the night was falling with the snow that was increasing. More and more people were gathering to see the finals. The energy was awesome. Time to climb again, this round determined 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th places.

I got to go against Stanislav a 6 foot 3 inch Eastern European cardio machine. Our competition was pretty tight, but in the end only one of us climbed faster and it was him. After climbing the route 10 times a full speed I was pretty tired and glad that it was over.

Final Results:

1. Sam Elias

2. Stanislav

3. Brian Gilmore

4. Andres Marin

5. Marcus Garcia

For the girls, the judges decided to have a final between them even though they all had gotten eliminated in the first round. It was between Emily Harrington and Dawn Glanc.

Unfortunately, neither of them where able to finish the route either time, which was a little disappointing Emily fell lower than Dawn which give her a pretty easy first place. Hopefully, next year more woman can be at this event.

In the end it was such a great times. Climbing as fast as you can competing against friends and have good all times.

Totally looking forward next year.

This is how the structure looked like.

Pretty steep in the end of the route. The round things where the foam holds.