The Players are the best American athletes of the modern rock-climbing era. Dave Graham, Chris Sharma, Emily Harrington, Daniel Woods, Lisa Rands, Joe Kinder, Alex Puccio, Chris Lindner, and Ethan Pringle each embody the progression of their sport. This showcase of action-packed HD footage reveals each playerâ??s ability to make climbing at the pinnacle of their sport a daily routine. Featuring all disciplines of climbing, this is your chance to witness the swagger behind each players’ style and explore the lifestyles they are pioneering all across the globe.

Locations in the film include Colorado, Vietnam, China, Red River Gorge, New River Gorge, Fontainebleau, Hueco Tanks and Utah.

(via Mountains and Water, Momentum Video, Joe Kinder, Tim Kemple)

The post Climbing Video: Trailer for The Players first appeared on All Climbing.

• The Future of Technology and Climbing – Part 1
  Posted on Thursday, March 12th, 2009 in Climbing
  Late last year my wife and I bought a house in Colorado and we went through all the normal stressful steps accompanying it. At one point during the process, I received a return phone call from my real estate agent from an unusual place – he was climbing the Third Flatiron!Now my first jealous thought was “dammit, get back to work.
• Guide to Bouldering in Fontainebleau, France
  Posted on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 in Bouldering
  UKClimbing.com offers up a comprehensive guide to bouldering at Fontainebleau, France complete with how to train, the local rating system, when to go, and where to stay.It has been used as a bouldering area since the 1870s and has almost continuously remained at the centre of the world bouldering scene since the 1930s.
• Alternatives to Climbing When You Have an Injury
  Posted on Tuesday, March 3rd, 2009 in Injury Prevention
  As climbers, we’re always getting injures – that’s just part of the game. Hopefully your injuries are minor; but when an injury makes you stop climbing for an extended period of time, another outlet is needed for all that obsession.ClimbingNarc has an injury and recently asked on Twitter for some suggestions on non-climbing activities for climbers. I then re-tweeted this and collected the following interesting responses (after removing the jokes!
• Chuck Fryberger Discusses Fred Nicole
  Posted on Tuesday, March 10th, 2009 in Climbing
  Chuck Fryberger offers up some insight on climbing great Fred Nicole.Should I even write about Fred? I’ve been bouldering avidly for 14 years and I still feel under-qualified to try to write any sort of authoritative article about him. I’ve slept on his floor on trips to Switzerland, I’ve shot footage and pictures of him, I’ve hosted him on a visit to Colorado, and I’ve flogged myself trying to repeat problems he opened in Hueco, Fontainebleau, Australia, Switzerland, and South Africa.
• Warming Up for Climbing Competitions
  Posted on Thursday, March 5th, 2009 in Competitions
  Sean McColl writes about warming up for competitions. He has some good advice that can be adapted to any climbing warm-up routine.My 75 minute warm up starts with 5 minutes of cardio. You can do anything, jump up and down, go for a run, jump rope, anything to get your heart going. For the first 10-15 minutes, if your feet are cold just wear your street shoes, if not put on your climbing shoes, do easy moves on big holds.
• The Future of Climbing and Technology – Part 2
  Posted on Monday, March 23rd, 2009 in Climbing
  In the first part of this series, I questioned whether traditional climbing magazines can still thrive or will we see a faster migration to online only publications? Peter Beal and Dougald MacDonald both have some interested perspectives on this issue and I’d like to expand further on the topic.Personally, I still enjoy reading climbing magazines. I subscribe to Climbing, Urban Climber, and Rock & Ice even though I’ve been considering letting my subscriptions lapse at times.
• Climbing Video: The Monthly Dose from Bleau
  Posted on Saturday, March 7th, 2009 in Bouldering
  Following up on the recent link to the Fontainebleau bouldering guide, VideoClimb.
• Updates on the Alpinist Relaunch
  Posted on Monday, March 16th, 2009 in Media
  Dougald MacDonald reports that Michael Kennedy is going to edit the new Alpinist.Kennedy edited and published Climbing magazine for more than two decades before selling the magazine in 1997. Along with being one of America’s top alpine climbers of the 1970s and â??80s, he created a magazine with authoritative articles and elegant design, and he was rewarded with the largest circulation climbing magazine in the world.
• Gabor Szekely on the Slump in Climbing Performance
  Posted on Wednesday, March 4th, 2009 in Training
  Gabor Szekely discusses something we all run into at some point: an unexplained slump in climbing performance.Every year, as my climbing schedule is pretty demanding, I go through an annual slump. For those of you that don’t know, a slump is a period of time (for me usually lasting a month or two), when my climbing is just not going the way it should.
• Jon Glassberg on Climbing Videos
  Posted on Sunday, March 1st, 2009 in Media
  Jon Glassberg recently posted quite a nice rant regarding climbing videos and the state of that aspect of the climbing industry.If you are going to make any money in the industry I would expect some personal progression. I want to see a desire to be better at that defining skill and a recycling of the money earned from making these movies to buy better equipment and software and to spend the time learning the techniques needed to become a better film maker.

The post Top Posts on All Climbing from Mar 2009 first appeared on All Climbing.

Should I even write about Fred? I’ve been bouldering avidly for 14 years and I still feel under-qualified to try to write any sort of authoritative article about him. I’ve slept on his floor on trips to Switzerland, I’ve shot footage and pictures of him, I’ve hosted him on a visit to Colorado, and I’ve flogged myself trying to repeat problems he opened in Hueco, Fontainebleau, Australia, Switzerland, and South Africa.

My favorite quote in the post:

Every time I visit Fred it’s like hitting the reset button. I come away with a sense of how the sport is supposed to be practiced… with tolerance and dedication.

The post Chuck Fryberger Discusses Fred Nicole first appeared on All Climbing.

photo credit: Susanica

Nalle Hukkataival has been sending many hard Hueco boulder problems including the first flash of Fred Nicole’s Full Monty (V12).

ClimbingNarc has a good summary of the sends this season at Hueco.

There appears to be access issues at the sport climbing hotbed of Margalef, Spain.

The Book Of Bitter Aspects (V14) was repeated by Phillip Schaal.

Images of Golden Rule in Bishop climbed ropeless by Shawn Diamond.

Updates from Squamish.

Adam Ondra climbed the route Papichulo 9a+ at Oliana, Spain.

Impressive sends from young climbers: Geoffrey de Flaugergues, redpointed El Templo del Cafè at Alquezar, Spain, a possible 9a (5.14d), at the age of 13. David Firnenburg, also 13, sent L’Espiadimonis (8c/5.14b) at Margalef, Spain earlier this month.

Will Gadd makes two impressive ice climbing first ascents in Canada.

Massimo Laurencig and Gianni Dorigo carried out the first repeat of “Per Leila” (120m, III/6+) an ice climb first ascended by Luca Vuerich in January at Cima Cenge (Val Riofreddo, Julian Alps).

Chris Schulte has climbed his first 8B+, Gecko assis, at Fontainebleau. On the same trip he also sent La Merveille, 8A+, and Sideways daze, 8B.

The post Quick Sends – 3/2/09 first appeared on All Climbing.

Big UP was on hand to film the ascent and UKclimbing.com describes Ambrosia as a “V11 boulder problem in to a 5.13a (F7c+) solo.”

And Wills Young summarizes Ambrosia on his blog by:

The climb, on the east wall of the Grandpa Peabody, begins with v11 bouldering to gain a shallow hueco at the point most would consider the highballing limit. This is followed by a bold v8/9 sequence of huge moves between good edges that quickly covers about another 15 feet and takes the climber through that blurrred line between highballing and soloing. After that, and without significant rest, comes a strenuous section of what Kevin suggests is probably mid-5.12 climbing past pretty patina to the top of the wall, about 45 feet up.

But Björn Pohl asks an interesting question in his post – “when does a higball become a free solo?”

While purely semantics, as the ascent of Ambrosia is impressive in any context, it’s a thought provoking question nonetheless.

I tend to consider a highball to be a boulder problem where when nearing completion it is too high to fall without feeling comfortable about the outcome and there’s an above average chance of injury.

The danger factor can’t be the only aspect of a highball as there are many regular problems where bad landings and other hazards play a factor in the overall relative safety of the problem. So I think most climbers tend to look at height as the primary factor in considering whether a problem is highball. Hell, my gym has 18′ bouldering walls and many would consider that highball if it were not for the cushy padding on the floor.

But if we take my definition above, there is absolutely a subjective factor to consider here. What is highball for some of us is clearly not for others. But when does a boulder problem stop becoming a highball and start to be a route? Is length the only factor to consider here?

Sending Ambrosia clearly goes past my humble description of a highball, but what are your thoughts? Is this a highball boulder problem or a route that was free soloed? Does it even matter?

(For some additional coverage of the ascent, check out PlanetMountain.com, MomentumVM, and 8a.nu.)

The post Kevin Jorgeson Sends Ambrosia and Blurs Line Between Highball and Free Solo first appeared on All Climbing.

• Looking for Climbers on Twitter?
  Posted on Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 in Featured
  I was recently trying to compile a list of climbers with accounts on Twitter, but found out Rock Climber Girl beat me to it! Luckily, I barely started my list so I’m currently helping edit and maintain her list of climbers who use Twitter.If you use Twitter, please check the wiki and if you’re not on it, fill out this form and we’ll get you added.
• Climbing Video: Dave Graham on The Island V15
  Posted on Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008 in Videos
  Somewhat of an older video (the ascent was in April of 2008), but great footage nonetheless – Dave Graham on the first ascent of The Island (V15) at Coquibus Rumont, Fontainebleu (via TubeGuide).
• Lynn Hill Makes 7th Female Ascent of Chablanke (V11/V12) in Hueco Tanks
  Posted on Tuesday, December 9th, 2008 in Bouldering
  Lynn Hill has sent Chablanke (V11/V12) in Hueco Tanks, Texas making this the 7th female ascent of the problem.While it’s always to great to hear about strong sends from young(er) climbers, I’m always most impressed with news from climbers past the age of 40. I suppose it’s because as I get older I gain more inspiration knowing it’s still possible to climb harder!
• What Climbing Area Are You Writing About?
  Posted on Wednesday, December 10th, 2008 in Blogs
  In the past I’ve occasionally made pleas to climbing bloggers for various pet-peeves, so long time readers should find my new one none too surprising.As more climbing blogs proliferate, one thing driving me nuts is how so many posts are written on trip reports, climbing areas, and photos with no mention of the actual climbing location!Please, fellow climbing bloggers consider to mention the area’s location in your post.
• Bouldering in Morrison, Colorado
  Posted on Tuesday, December 16th, 2008 in Bouldering
  A few weeks ago, I had a chance to check out the bouldering at Morrison in Colorado. It was an unusually gray and cloudy day, so I didn’t get many pictures, but I did want to write up my mini summary of the area.First off, Morrison is the kind of bouldering area where you will definitely need beta from the locals.
• Climbing Events Calendar
  Posted on Friday, December 5th, 2008 in Climbing Events
  Looking for upcoming climbing events including comps, slideshows, and festivals? Check out the new All Climbing Events Calendar.I’ve tried forever to find a single comprehensive list of climbing events, but they were scattered across numerous sites. So All Climbing is putting together the most comprehensive list anywhere. Check it out and if you see a missing event let us know.
• Climbing for Kids
  Posted on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008 in Mountaineering
  I received an interesting press release from Bay Area Wilderness Training that many of you may find useful – do some fund raising, bag some big peaks, and get free gear.What better way is there to climb a fantastic peak and help kids at the same time?You can join Climbing For Kids and kill two birds with one stone. You canclimb your choice of one of the 5 greatest peaks in North America and giveinner-city kids the chance to go camping in the outdoors.
• Climbing Magazine 2008 Reader Survey
  Posted on Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008 in Media
  While print magazines are rapidly becoming less and less relevant, some of us still subscribe (like me!) and would like to see them improve.I received an email from Climbing Magazine with a link to their annual reader survey for both subscribers and non-subscribers. The survey is rather long, but I highly recommend filling it out and letting them know how to improve the magazine.
• Fund Raising Match for Flatirons Climbing Projects
  Posted on Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 in Access
  If you climb in the Colorado Front Range, please read the following announcement posted recently on Mountain Project:The Flatirons Climbing Council (FCC) has received a generous matching-funds offer to encourage donations. The donor has agreed to match up to $1,000 in donations received by Dec 31. The FCC uses donations to purchase materials and supplies for various projects in the Flatirons. Coordinated with the City of Boulderâ??s Open Space and Mountain Parks department, projects include trail / access work to the Third Flatiron, Gregory Ampitheatre, Flagstaff bouldering areas, the Mickey Mouse Wall and the wildly popular Flagstaff Trash Bash.
• Merry Christmas Climbers!
  Posted on Thursday, December 25th, 2008 in General
  Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone! Hopefully Santa Claus brought you some cool climbing gear for Christmas! If so, leave a comment and let us know what fun new gear you’ll get to play with in the new year.

The post Top Posts on All Climbing from Dec 2008 first appeared on All Climbing.

While it’s always to great to hear about strong sends from young(er) climbers, I’m always most impressed with news from climbers past the age of 40. I suppose it’s because as I get older I gain more inspiration knowing it’s still possible to climb harder!

(via B3bouldering.com, ClimbingNarc, Andy Mann)

The post Lynn Hill Makes 7th Female Ascent of Chablanke (V11/V12) in Hueco Tanks first appeared on All Climbing.

Jody Hansen sent Rumble in the Jungle (V12) at Hueco Tanks for the first female ascent.

Moore’s Wall in North Carolina has a seasonal wildlife closure in effect for the north end. The closure is from January 1 through August 31 and is to protect the nesting and roosting sites of peregrine falcons.

RockClimbing.com reviews the Evolve Stryker approach shoe.

The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival starts soon, running from February 29 through March 2. The Adventure Blog has some more details as well.

The North Face of the Eiger had its speed record slashed by Switzerland’s Ueli Steck beating his own record by more than an hour.

Dana Drummond and Freddie Wilkinson complete three-day Patagonia traverse of Aguja Guillaumet, Aguja Mermoz, and Fitz Roy by its North Pillar

The post Quick Sends – 2/22/08 first appeared on All Climbing.

Lynn Hill stops blogging at FindYourDetour.com

Boat Rock gets a deep cleaning

Paul Robinson repeats Terremer (V15) in Hueco Tanks

The Mushroom Boulder in Hueco Tanks is closed.

The post Quick Sends – 1/9/08 first appeared on All Climbing.

Nick Duttle has added a new V14 in Hueco Tanks

Winter Dance sees first free ascent

Photos of unclimbed peaks in China

MEC pulls Nalgene bottles from shelves (via Backcountry Blog)

Results of The Stone Fort stage of the Triple Crown Bouldering Series

The post Quick Sends – 12/12/07 first appeared on All Climbing.