Developing an ego

Around 4 years ago, I became immersed in the world of climbing development. I’m not completely certain of when I first decided I was going to become a climbing developer, but I’ve always found myself staring up at a wall or boulder and thinking, has anyone tried to climb this?

Since I began climbing, I've been constantly inspired by the hard work and effort invested by the pioneers of our sport. Developers at the forefront of the the sport climbing movement such as Gary Gibson, who’s impressive list of first ascents resonate throughout almost every guidebook in the UK is one of my all time heroes. Worldly Adventurer Fred Becky, who’s impressive resumé of bold first ascents in the high mountains of north america is another.

Though these are two of the better known climbing developers, there are thousands of people across the globe who are contributing towards our growing sport. Many of these people are on the cutting edge of climbing progress and are stereotypically forward thinkers, conscientious of their impact and predominantly developing with good intentions.

These people also have a tendency to be our community ambassadors, the people that everyone knows at the gym and the “go to” person when seeking climbing advice. You’ll regularly find them at the community meetings and clean up events, selflessly giving their time in the hope that the area they love can continue to improve. This is the beauty of the climbing community, the side that is caring and united through our love for rock fondling. The same one which I am proud to be a part of and talk about to my friends when I’m outside of the climbing bubble.

I wish this was the only side of the community, but the truth is, it’s not…

A bag of bolts for a big wall!
Credit: Matthew Parent

There is another side to the climbing development community, a dark side if you will. This is the side that few are accustomed to seeing let alone understanding. Here, speculation is rife, insults are thrown, passive aggressive threats sent and turf wars laid out. This is the side you rarely hear about, but it is there and unfortunately, it’s quite a problem. 

One of the most infamous cases of this behavior is the “Wings of Steel” incident in which climbers went as far as to sabotage the developers ropes, risking their lives for the sake of a rumor and ultimately, a piece of rock. 

To the climbers involved in this immoral unfolding of events, they now look back with shame on their actions, and understandably so. Is it really worth harming someones life over something so irrelevant in the bigger picture? 

To me, this is one of the single most embarrassing and shameful stories that i’ve encountered in our sport and it is loaded with lessons to be learnt on all sides. Sadly, this is not an isolated incident and I myself have personally experienced threats, warnings and hate mail from other developers who stake claim to an area and attempt become the self appointed gate keepers to a piece of rock, deciding which people can climb or not. 

This malicious behavior has unfortunately kept me awake on many a night, frustrated and deep in thought of why certain people would go out of their way to be so hateful to another person for reasons I can only deduce is from either a damaged ego or selfishness. 

Putting up a new line in Chihuahua
Credit: Matthew Parent

It was on one of these nights, after hearing that a fellow developer was writing a hate article about me, I came to the realization that there are two kinds of climbing developers out there: 

The Lovers who develop for the love of the sport and the fun.

AND

The Haters who develop for their ego and for a claim.

The Lovers

The Lovers develop climbing for the pure and simple pleasure of contributing to the climbing community. These are the people who bolt the 5.6 routes at the crag that everyone learns to climb on, the same people that clean up the trash regardless who dropped it simply because they love the area. They are the people who share their day belaying friends and strangers alike because they enjoy sharing their passion with others.

In my mind, these are climbings true ambassadors, the corner stone of the local climbing community and those who control the most influence within their community.

The Haters 

The haters on the other hand, develop for their ego, to state a claim that it was them who achieved a goal first.The haters think they are superior to others because they often climb harder than the average climber, claim areas as their own (even when its public land) and have an elitist attitude towards their community members(obviously forgetting that they too once struggled up a 5.7).

They try to intimidate others away from "their" area and often create rumors and lies to protect their damaged ego’s from what they see as competition. These are the people who are damaging the community spirit that so many of us are proud to be a part of. I’m sure if you take a moment to think, you’ll know a person like this…

I am personally a lover, I get a huge joy out of putting up routes or boulders of any grade so that I can share them with others and I believe that most developers are the same, but the longer i’m active as a developer, and the more places I travel, the more haters I come across.

This disappointing realization leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth and a reluctancy to continue developing. However, what keeps me going when developing politics are in turmoil is the reminder that the majority of our community are incredibly positive people, psyched to have new rock to wrestle and thankful for each and every contributor.

I hope that by bringing a spotlight to this issue and not allowing it to remain hidden in the shadows any long; climbers, developers and community members alike can asess their true motivation for developing and become lovers instead of haters. 

Besides, if you develop for the love, you get enjoy your hard work vicariously time and time again, each time someone clips the bolts.

Deciding which line to choose?
Credit: Matthew Parent

The Responsible Climbing Gym: Access, Experience and Social responsibilities

The term "community" is used a lot in the climbing world. Gyms talk about their community much like it's a tribe, something that they are proud of, that their patrons have loyalty and alliance to, which for the most part, this is true.

You can go to almost any crag in the US and find people toting their gym "Belay Certified" card on their harness. To many climbers, they consider these people the stereotypical "noobs", those who have yet to realise the unwritten social rule that wearing your gym card is a sign of inexperience, and often someone worth steering clear of (especially if you don't want to watch an accident unfold). To others it's a rubber-banded flag of affiliation, one that encourages social interaction and is worn with pride.

Whatever your perspective may be, stereotypes exist for a reason. Those of us who have saved our fair share of people from almost certain injury, or worse, due to their lack of instruction, know that the majority are completely unaware of the danger they're putting themselves AND their partners in. Confronting unsafe practice can be incredibly uncomfortable for both parties, as no-one wants to be a "busy body", and less so to be informed their climbing is reckless. The handful of times that this has been myself, cautiously sharing experience gained from working as a guide, I often look for a belay tag and question; where on earth did they learn to climb?

Admittedly, this is not a completely fair way to pass judgement. After all, everyone makes mistakes when learning and it's often sheer luck that they do not sustain an injury in the process. But in the same way that climbers attach their gym's logo to their harness, I attach their inexperience and behaviour in the outdoors to their gym.

Having moved to the US some years ago from the UK, I'm very aware of the differences in the climbing industry, behaviour and culture between the two countries. In the US, for example, there is no universal standard for instructing climbing skills and practices. The executive decision falls to the gym owner / operator to enforce what is safe practice. Having visited a large number of gyms across the US and witnessed all manner of belay techniques (some of which make me shiver at the thought of being on the sharp end), it's clear that education standards in the American climbing industry are not keeping up with the boom in climbing gyms, which is likely a contributor to the growing number of  climbing related injuries throughout the US both indoors and out.

This is obviously an over-simplified version of reality which has many factors to it that people can argue for and against. What I'm truly getting at is this: Where does the line begin and end for climbing gyms responsibility to educate its members in both safe practices and stewardship? 

To understand the scope of this question and to shed some light on where the future of climbing is heading, it helps to take a look back at the history of modern climbing and see where it came from. 

Rock climbing, for all intents and purpose, is a relatively new sport that has gone through a number of radical changes since it became a recognised sport at the end of the 19th century. Originally reserved for the bold and the brave, it has advanced from hip belays to auto locking devices, static hemp ropes tied around the waist to dynamic chemical coated ropes that attach to a harness and skills originally passed from leader to second over years of climbing are now often compressed into a two hour class at an indoor climbing gym.

With its obvious inherent dangers, advancements in the sport have for the most part been concentrated in the direction of improved safety and performance through technology due to the limitations of old equipment. But with modern equipment now often surpassing its required functionality, could it be that one of the biggest dangers our sport faces is not that our equipment is insufficient, but that we lose access to our outdoor spaces?

With new climbers now being educated through gyms instead of mentors on a rapid crash course involving some version of the "punch-brake-slide" belay technique, the soft skills such as ethics are often left out as an unnecessary "extra" rather than part of the fundamentals. This in turn is contributing to the growing problem of land access as more and more uneducated climbers continue to unknowingly abuse their privilege to climb in the outdoors. 

Though we are lucky to have incredible companies such as The Access Fund to help educate climbers in what is acceptable conduct in the outdoors, their battle is made increasingly difficult as many gyms are not pro-active in passing on this information. Gyms may argue that they display posters provided by The Access Fund on how to be responsible climber. However, is this effort great enough when others witness a gyms members stuffing trash into cracks, blasting music at the crag or covering a rock in enough tick marks that it resembles a MOMA art installation?

I believe that, as Bob Dylan so eloquently put it, “The times are a changin” and that climbing gyms should do more to preserve the future of our sport through actively educating members in outdoor conduct. This doesn’t need to be anything drastic. It could be done in all manner of simple ways such as: Adding an additional section to their classes that focuses on the subject,  Handing out postcards at the gym, Having an outdoor awareness month and Gym presentations on the matter. If a gym did want to be radical in its approach they could go as far as to work in a membership to The Access Fund with every membership to the gym, thus enabling them to have a direct outreach to these climbers as they join our community. I don’t claim to know the perfect solution to solve this problem, but know that taking some action is better than not. 

I’ve been told by a handful of gym owners that “no one becomes a climber to make money, it’s for the love”. If they truly believe this, then we can hope that they can understand the crucial role they play in nurturing our industry, ensuring future generations can enjoy our climbing areas, the same way we are able to now.

Birdsboro: The secret sport climbing of the east coast!

What's the best kept secret in East Coast sport climbing?

Home to over 120+ sport climbs with grades ranging from 5.4 to 5.14, Birdsboro is a little known sport crag that is neatly tucked away in a quiet corner of Pennsylvania.

Gaz Leah on Hinterland 5.12d

Development of the crag began back in 1993 when a handful of locals discovered the quarry, which at the time was buried under a blanket of poison ivy! The locals instantly recognised the potential for climbing on the many large faces of diabase rock, and quickly set about bolting their first line, "Zorro" 5.12a. Located on the "Wet Side", Zorro required very little cleaning, and an existing path leads straight to the base. 

This was the birthplace of Birdsboro climbing!

Birdsboro is unlike any crag you may have been to before. When you first arrive at the parking lot where the old road ends abruptly, you are greeted by a gently flowing river that is often packed with local fly fishermen (and women!). An old house sits on the far side of the river, which is now only accessible by taking the cable traverse, since the road washed away in the early 70's. And this is where the experience truly begins.

The second cable traverse

Crossing the wire cable, you continue your journey down a short section of the old route 82 which resembles little of its former self. Much of the road has been reclaimed by the earth leaving behind a narrow section of asphalt with yellow markings down the center. Passing over the old surviving bridge and alongside the working quarry, you reach the final cable traverse that leads the bottom of a short hill and the start of the climbing!

Upon reaching the top of the hill you find what is aptly titled; "The Bunker". It’s an old building once used by the quarry for storing dynamite that has now been re-purposed as a toilet for many visitors to the area. To the right is the Birdsboro notice board that is regularly stocked with the latest topo and news on the area. Beside it sits the bolt fund donation box and a choice of two paths that lead to the upper and lower tiers. Following the narrow path, the journey continues along the upper tier where the quarry opens up revealing its true beauty! 

The Main Wall

On one side, you catch a glimpse of the spectacular reservoir wall through the thin veil of trees and on the other side a large looming rock wall shoots upwards. This is the main wall, an area of the quarry that is popular with groups due to its variety of grades and varying angles. Here we met up with local climber, route equipper, and all around local legend Ted Coffelt to get the grand tour and learn more about the quarry.

As we walked along the upper tier, Ted points out each line we pass and tells us the story of its name and how it came to be. He explained to us how over the last twenty years, the quarry has undergone an incredible transformation; from a once overgrown ivy hole into its current state as staple for local outdoor enthusiasts. The area is now used for an extensive array of activities such as fly fishing, mountain biking, hiking, shooting, trail-running, and of course sport climbing. 

Ted pointing out the crag classics

We stop beneath the “Big Wall” and Ted points out one of his favourite lines, “Hinterland”. It’s a beautiful route that takes a direct line up the tallest part of the crag and is graded 5.10 to the first anchor and 5.12d to the second. At ninety feet long, it is a true test of endurance with the crux being at the very last move.

Ted highly recommends we try the route and we’re only too happy to oblige. Looking up at the wall, I couldn’t help but feel slightly intimidated by the sheer size of the wall. Slipping on my climbing shoes, I study the wall trying to figure out the moves and wondering if I have enough juice to climb such a long continuous overhang. I tied in and with a nod from my friend, I begin climbing. 

Bill Piehl on HinterLand,  

Moving carefully up the rock, I soon came to the first anchor and feeling pretty good, I decided to continue on to the top. The first few moves were manageable, but I soon found my forearms burning as the wall grew steeper and the holds became unmercifully smaller. I knew this attempt was soon over. Falling from the last clip, I lowered to the ground. Normally, I would find this disheartening and see it as a failure, but I didn’t feel disappointed. Instead, I was totally psyched at how amazing the route was and couldn't wait to try it again! I took a break and then got back on the sharp end, this time sticking all the moves and clipping the top anchor. 

It was apparent why Ted likes this route so much. It utilizes every move I've ever learnt in climbing from heal hooks to rock overs and even a dyno at the end. It truly was a full value route that just kept revealing new challenges. Ted was proud to see others having such a good time on the routes he and the locals had spent so many years bolting and maintaining.

Since visiting Birdsboro and meeting Ted, I've been truly inspired by the climbing there and believes that this is a place everyone should visit at least once. Whether you’re looking for a casual day out hiking or an adrenaline fueled day climbing, Birdsboro should be at the top of your places to visit in the area. 

Birdsboro Bolt Fund,

I hope this article piques your interest and encourages you to take the trip over to this great climbing spot. Please be respectful to the many people that use the area and pay thanks to those that have given their time and money to make this all possible. Above all though, have a great time!

INFO: 

The best place to find the latest information on Birdsboro Quarry is to use the website which is updated on a regular basis by the locals. Here you can find everything from the latest routes to the weather and more:

www.BirdsboroClimbing.com

Photography by Francois Lebeau

New York Climbing Gyms

New York City is one of the largest cities on this egg shaped rock we call earth.

It is home to 8.2 million people, 20,000 street venders, 12,700 yellow taxi's, 48 white castles and 5 climbing gyms in or nearby!

Click here to view the interactive map

Whether you're a first timer or a veteran climber, there's a gym in New York (or close by) to suite your needs. Below is a map of all the current and upcoming climbing walls in and around the city so that no matter where you're staying, you can get your climbing fix!

The gyms covered here are: 
Brooklyn Boulders, Chelsea Piers, The Cliffs, MPHC, Reebok and The Rock Club.

1. Brooklyn Boulders
Located within walking distance of the Union St metro station and highly accommodating for cyclists with its large bike rack facility. Brooklyn Boulders is a great wall for locals and commuters alike. It is one of the largest climbing centres on the east coast with over 22,000 sq feet of climbing!

There is a real community atmosphere here and there are always plenty of people willing to help you solve problems you may be struggling with. The instructors here are qualified, experienced climbers and always happy to answer your questions whether its how to become a climber or how to push your limits.

Facilities:
Top ropes
Auto belays
Lead wall with arch and staligtite
Tons of bouldering
Multiple styles of campus board
Systems board
Slack lining

Overall:
The facility really speaks for itself. It offers lessons for everyone of all abilities and at a reasonable price. A standard day pass here will set you back $20 without gear hire which is the average cost here in New York. Instruction is more and needs to be booked. The only down side to here is that it can get pretty crowded during peak times which is generally any day after 4pm.

Info:
www.brooklynboulders.com
Tel: (347) 834-9066

2. Chelsea Piers
Out on the west side of Manhattan, Chelsea Piers is one of the most difficult walls to commute to and one of the more expensive one too. However, It has a very impressive 46' high by 100' wide main wall, the 14' high by 70' wide bouldering wall and the adjacent 16' high by 18' wide bouldering cave which combined offer over 11,000 square feet of sculpted, three-dimensional climbing surface that will challenge novice and expert climbers alike. In addition, a radically designed, overhanging competition roof provides experienced sport climbers with the ultimate challenge and stamina fest!

Facilities:

Huge lead wall with overhang
Bouldering wall
Bouldering cave

Overall:
The facilities are very impressive and if you're already a climber and are serious about improving then this is a place that you must visit! It is much more expensive here than other facilities around New York and is better suited to those who have plenty of extra cash and climbing experience. A day pass here will set you back $50!

Info:
www.chelseapiers.com
Tel:  (212) 336-6083



3. The Cliffs Long Island City 
Opening early Spring 2013, this is set to be one of the biggest climbing facilities in the entire US! It will be easily accessible by public transport, car and bike with its roadside parking and easy bicycle store. Combined with its huge 30,000 sq feet of climbing, multi-gym, fitness bathrooms (showers) and a retail store. This could be New York's one stop shop for climbers. 

Let's see what happens!

Facilities:
Massive top out bouldering
Crack climbing
60 ft lead wall with a 35 ft overhang
Cutting edge new wall designed by Walltopia
Fitness area including bathrooms and showers
Retail store

Overall:
It's currently still under construction but their will be a review as soon as i get a glimpse at the new place.

Info:
www.thecliffsclimbing.com
Tel: (914) 328-ROCK



4. Manhattan Plaza Health Club 
A community driven climbing wall in the heart of the city. It is the smallest climbing facility in the city but what it lacks in size it makes up for with goings on. There are always creative and fun events happening here from glow stick climbing to film festivals. This is a great place to take beginner lessons if you prefer not having a large number of people watching you as its never too crowded.

Facilities:
Overhanging lead wall
Short top ropes
Small bouldering wall
Campus board and fingerboard

Overall:
Small and friendly but could invest in some new climbing holds to make climbing a little more enjoyable. A standard day pass will set you back $20 which is the average rate in the city and overall its a nice place to climb!

Info:
www.mphc.com
Tel: (212) 563-7001



5. Reebok Sports Gym
Sports club is not the right word to describe this facility. It's more of a country club and it's members only! I never actually got to go here as there is no day pass. To visit you must go with another member and pay a $35 entrance fee to climb. There are no lessons here and a yearly pass is upwards of $2,200!

Facilities:
40 ft by 18 ft wall with 4 lines

Overall:
Not worth the effort unless you really have money to burn and even then you could spend the same money going to any of the other gyms and getting a better facility and experience.

Info:
www.sportsclubla.com
Tel: (212) 355-5100




6. The Rock Club

The Rock Club is the dubbed "New York area’s premier indoor climbing center". featuring a 40 foot high main wall with terrain ranging from easy to radically extreme. With around 80 climbing stations with over 200 individual routes.

Whatever your climbing interest, ability or age, you'll enjoy your time at The Rock Club. The walls were designed, engineered and built by RockWerx, the leader in indoor climbing walls and the staff are pros with a passion for climbing and commitment to customer service. Their enthusiasm will rub off on you!

Facilities:
Boulder wall, cave and VOLCANO
Multiple overhangs, slabs, dihedrals, arches and more angles than Mt. Rushmore
Full cardio training area
Beginner and group area
Function rooms
Childrens Nursery

Full retail store


Overall:
A truly incredible climbing gym with staff that care a lot about the sport. It has everything you could possibly need to become a climber and improve. A day pass is just $15 to boulder which is by far the best price of any gym! The only downside would be travelling from the city as it would take some time and be difficult without a car. If you can go, do it!

Info:
www.climbrockclub.com
Tel: (914) 633-ROCK



All this information and more can also be found in the upcoming climbing book NYC Bouldering Guide.

Wild Camping El Chorro

WILD CAMPING IN EL CHORRO

From talking to the locals and asking about a bit we found that there were several unofficial wild camp spots in the woods just above the official camp site but they were often moved on by the Guardia Civil but if you kept a low profile and kept away from the crowds you can avoid this. During our stay we never had any trouble with either the Guardia Civil or other campers and had a fantastic stay.

What you need for camping in El Chorro:

1. Warm sleeping bag -5 degrees comfort if you plan to camp in winter
2.  A cheap tent that is easy to erect and take down should you be moved on
3.  Tent games – It gets cold and dark by 7pm and so having games to play like bananagrams or cards helps pass the time
4.  Slack line (optional) – We took a slack line and spent nearly every evening on this which was great fun and a great way of getting to know other campers

There are several campsites to choose from and which one you choose will be best decided by how sociable you want to be and how much space is available. Some of these campsite can get very crowded in the winter season. We went out climbing one day and left our tent in the central campsite with no one around. When we returned there were close to 15 tents around us tightly packed in and washing drying on every tree branch.

Potential Camp sites:

This is a basic map of the area below Fontales. The 3 campsites mentioned are of reasonable size and have relatively flat groud compared to the surrounding area. Just after the path which leads to the campsites there is a “Parc Nacional” sign and a wooden storage box opposite which makes finding the right path easier. The campsites are not visable from the road which makes them ideal places to stay but slightly difficult to find the first time searching.

Camp 1: Europa Zone

The left hand campsite was the most popular with one. It's well hidden from the road and has the flatest ground as well as make shift log benches and fire pits but also the one that was reportedly moved on by the gaurdia civil now and again.

Camp 2: Camp Cuatro

Hidden away from the road like camp 1, its location offers some good flat areas and plenty of space with easy access to the surrounding crags. It's only downfall is that it has a path that runs right through the middle of it that is used now and again by people descending from the crags. It is the quietest of the 3 camps and also has stone built fire pits.

Camp 3: Camp Chesht

Situated near to a car park, this is the most exposed of the 3 campsites but also one with a large area of flat ground, many fire pits and plenty of area to place multiple tents. Its within a 30 second walk of camp 2 which is handy if its a busy season.

Tips:
A few other things to remember when wild camping is that the water from taps and water springs which you see about is either undrinkable or tastes horrible! There is a local super market in town in which you can buy large quantities of water which seems the best idea and then keep it in your tent.

There are several fruit tree's about the village which drop nectarines and Lemons which can be used with cooking or drinks to add some flavour. This is especially nice if your really on a budget and wants something different from plain pasta and water to get by!

If you feel like splashing out a few euros the Olive Branch guest house near Encantadas offers a shower and tea service for 3 euros a person which can give some rest bite to your aching and smelling body after many days in the sun.

Hitch hiking to Alora the local town i have been told is not too difficult. Food and beer is much cheaper there and offers other services such as internet cafes and a post office (Correos) to keep in touch with loved ones.

Please remember wild camping in El Chorro is illegal and this is purely for reference should you choose to enjoy breaking the law :)

Road trip El Chorro

Road Trip: Camping and Climbing in El Chorro

Since I last blogged we’ve been out on adventures and driven the entire North to South of Spain in search of friends and adventure!

Our original plan was to drive south to Madrid and camp at one of the many crags that surround its West side. This however was not to be. Upon arriving in Madrid it was clear that it wasn’t the best place to be camping in February as the temperature was around -6 degrees and being outside for more than 5 minutes was unbearable even wearing multiple layers of thermals and a down jacket.

It was late in the night and we had already been driving for around 6 hours but we decided the best decision would be to continue driving south to El Chorro were we were sure the temperatures where higher and the climbing was sunny

For anyone thinking of driving through Spain the views are pleasant and the roads are quiet and easy to drive with plenty of places to stop on the way in the day and night.

We drove south for another 5 hours passing quickly and quietly through the Spanish countryside. We eventually arrive in Antequarra, a small town North East of El Chorro and became quite lost. The European road map we had was rubbish for negotiating the small and badly marked roads that lead to the gorge where we planned to stay and so we stopped to ask directions at a petrol station.

We walked in to find a lady around 5’10 making coffee and doing a general tidy up. In my bet Spanglish i asked which way it was to the gorge. I was surprised when she replied to me in perfect English, telling me that her husband was English and that we were very close. Two police officers then walked in and collaboratively between the three of them and the police radio we got some directions which took us to Campillos and then south.

We followed these directions but again got hopelessly lost. We stopped again for directions and eventually pieced together where we were and made our destination around 7am.

We couldn’t find a camping spot on the hillside and so decided for now we should sleep in the car. It was an uncomfortable night’s sleep in a packed out Fiesta with seats that would barely recline and a cramped foot well.

The next day we woke and drove down to the Olive Branch. This was the premier place to stay in El Chorro and get information on all the latest routes, access to remote crags and of course PARTY! My mates from Leicester were staying here and later in the week we expected our friends from Essex to arrive. I parked up and had a mooch about the Olive Branch but couldn’t see anyone. Just as i was about to leave I heard the familiar voice of one of my best mates Henry who had seen me searching about through the dining room window.

Everyone came out and we hugged and had a catch up and began planning the logistics of our stay and what routes we wanted to do. Now although our friends were staying at the olive Branch, Me and Joe had very little money and could barely afford the drive there and back let alone accommodation.

TEAM ESSEX

We spent a week here enjoying the sun and having a great time but had to return home after just 9 days but with great memories. Some of my favourite are the Camino Del Ray with the guys from Essex which we ambushed them on and on-sighting 7b which is always a nice feeling! 

Next blog will be about a little known climbing area called La Marea which is a new a hidden climbing area 20km south of Infiesto in Northern Spain.

In search of new crags!

The past couple of weeks have been jam packed with friendly banter, new places and mount Urrielu.

It seems that northern Spain is much like Scotland for weather as there tend to be a constant cloud that hovers in the valley below us creating a sea of white which slowly flows east towards the Picos. We have had much rain here and it always seems to bee wet!

Northern spain however has much to offer for climbers, walkers and mountaineers. Locally there is a huge abundance of un touched limestone that is as much as 50m high and of good quality but no bolts, topos or climbers to be found any where near.

Today we're in Arriondas enjoying the coffee at a local coffee shop we have been to before called Kelsey's. It has incredible Pichentos and good coffee. Our purpose of today is 1. let everyone know were alive and well and 2. to explore some of these un-touched crags with the idea of putting up new hard routes on the untouched overhangs nearby which would be a welcome addition for local climbers that do not know how to bolt new routes but want to learn.


I have discovered much of the climbing areas recently by joining the Montana Grupo Infiesto which are a great bunch of friendly people with endless enthusiasm for climbing and big goals. They are developing there own bouldering wall in the hut which in in the local town (SCORE!) and its becoming a huge 45 degree board with endless traverses and possibilities. I plan to spend as much of my time as possible here once its finished which should be by the end of the weekend (en shallah!)

Last weekend we attempted to climb Ureilu but had to return due to conditions but we did get a great feel for the area and get our bearings which means a lot in this area where maps are hard to come by. We also got great views of Naranjo Des Bulnes which i plan to climb when the temperatures rise around the end of march.

We have also discovered a new huge climbing wall in Arriondas which is incredible! fully horizontal overhang and routes starting at 6c going to 8a+.

I have a few photos to keep you guys updated and manana i will book flights to El Chorro to see all my friends for a few weeks climbing.

Hasta Luego!

And a picture for Lauri and Chelsea!

First Week in Espanya

Hola! como estas?

We have arrived in the beautiful village of Pallena, in Asturias, Spain. Having driven from Canvey Island, Essex all the way to Portsmouth we took a 20 hour ferry across to Santander. We had a brilliant room that the dog could join us in and our whole corridor had people with dogs which meant it was a little mental when everyone takes there dog out to the loo late at night. Dylan (the dog) seemed confused that it was OK to take a leak on the floor inside/outside but i think he enjoyed the journey sitting in the cabin window looking out to sea for most of it.

Once we landed in Spain we head West to Oviedo. We were not too sure where we were going but knew roughly that it was located near some where that began with a B, and there was a pine tree. We had earlier in the trip saved a map on a tablet but it didn't load when we tried it and the map on my computer was useless as it wouldn't turn on.

We arrived at a small village having remembered something else about a hard turn and a track that "wasn't as bad as it looked". We saw one track that looked rather suspect and decided that it must be the track and head down and lucky for us it was as we would never have been able to reverse it!

We've been working hard building a beautiful Kabanya and don't really know how long we will be here but are enjoying it all the same. Our windows look out over huge mountain ranges as far as the Pyrenees on a clear day and also bring incredible sun rises and sunsets. I could easily stay here forever!(Gaz)

We have been up to La Traverse and climbed and started to master the Slack line for the past two days which has been an awesome time. Joey managed to get to one end a back almost and i climbed some boulder problems (6c - 7a)

We've met some new great friends called: Nachos, Jerome, Nuria, Juan, Clive and Claire plus others which i can't remember due to the huge amount of beers we had bought for us. But i do remember we beat all the best locals at pool and made quite a stir.

Internet isn't very quick in Spain so updates may take some time.

Hasta luego