VIDEO: Ashima Shiraishi Bouldering in Colorado

Ashima Shiraishi is one of the most exciting up-and-coming climbers on the scene. She exploded onto the radar of the climbing world when she became the youngest climber of either gender to climb V13 and 5.14c. In this video, we catch up with Ashima as she takes on some of the hardest bouldering problems in the state.

 
On the Road from Evolv Climbing on Vimeo.

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The Next Level: The Future of Climbing and Mountaineering

Chris Sharma on La Dura Dura (5.15c).
Screenshot from BigUp's Reel Rock 7.

When Adam Ondra sent Change at Flatanger, Norway, the 20-year-old Czech climber had just pushed the of world climbing to a whole new level... or so it seemed. It was the first climb rated 5.15c (9b+), a grade that had once seemed impossible. Just a few months later, he and climbing legend Chris Sharma were sparring to redpoint something even harder: La Dura Dura. It was a climb that even Sharma, who at 20 years of age established the world's first 5.15a (9a+) when he sent Realization, had once called impossible. Though it was Ondra who first sent this futuristic climb, Sharma soon followed with a send of his own. The climbers set the rating at 5.15c (9b+). Both Ondra and Sharma agreed that La Dura Dura was probably the hardest rock climb in the world. Some have speculated that La Dura Dura may actually prove to be the world's first 5.15d.

There are only a handful of climbers in the world who can climb 5.15. The list is limited to names like Alex Megos, Ramon Julian, Dave Graham, Adam Ondra and, of course, Chris Sharma. Undoubtedly there are a few others, but this very small list shows just how hard the grade is. If these climbers, people like Sharma and Ondra, find these climbs to be at the very limits of their abilities, taking months of rehearsal and many many attempts to complete, just how much more difficult can climbing get? Have humans now reached the limits of physical capacity where, short of developing sticky pads on our fingers or some improbable gear innovation, we simply are not able to climb anything harder? Will we ever see a 5.15d or even a 5.16? How about bouldering? V16? V17? The alpine realm seems more open, with many peaks out there that still have yet to be climbed. But eventually, it seems, humans will soon have stood on every high point in this wide world. What then? Are the sports of climbing and mountaineering destined to fall in decrepit mediocrity without the excitement of progress? Already here in Colorado there are no exciting peaks still awaiting a first ascent. Even finding a new line on any of the major peaks is going to be hard to impossible (though Tommy Caldwell and Joe Mills did establish the first 5.14 line on the Diamond one month ago). Or will someone in the next generation prove that what is considered possible is never capped?

Cerro Torre, where Hayden Kennedy and 
Jason Kruk made the first "fair means"
ascent of the in famous Compressor Route.
Photo courtesy Wikimedia Commons.

Despite that the sports of climbing and mountaineering seem limited by the capacity of human physiology, new levels of achievement have been reached in recent years. Hayden Kennedy and Jason Kruk made the first "fair means" ascent of the legendary Compressor Route on Cerro Torre in the Torres Del Paine region of Patagonia in January of 2012. The Compressor Route is infamous in the history of mountaineering and considered by some the biggest atrocity in alpinism due to its excessive bolts and the abandonment of a heavy air-compressor on top of the mountain used to create the bolt ladder on the 1970 first ascent. Kennedy and Kruk decided, however, to chop the bolts off as they descended from the mountain after their ascent. A few days later, David Llama climbed the route completely free calling it 8a (5.13b). Though the chopping of the bolts was controversial, these two ascents show that what people believe to be possible in alpine climbing world has changed over the decades.

Another young climber who is proving that there are other ways than just pure difficulty which the sports of climbing and mountaineering can expand is Alex Honnold. In 2008 Honnold made the first free solo ascent of the Regular Northwest Face of Half Dome (VI 5.12b), climbing the 23-pitch route without a rope. Honnold's achievements have proven that newer generations of climbers are still willing to push the sport in "bold" directions. In 2012 Honnold managed to achieve a solo link-up Half Dome, the Nose and Mt. Watkins in a single day.

Modern Yosemite pioneer Tommy Caldwell also continues to push the sport of climbing. At 35 years of age, Caldwell has done more to push the sport of rock climbing to new levels than almost any one. In 2003 he put several months of hard work into a massive, overhanging cave on a remote wall in western Colorado, establishing Kryptonite, the country's first 5.14d (9a), and Flex Luthor, quite likely the first 5.15 in North America though it remains unrepeated and unconfirmed to this day. In recent years, Caldwell has been back where he feels most comfortable, on big walls, freeing old aid lines on Colorado's Diamond and Yosemite's Half Dome and El Capitan. Caldwell's free version of Mescalito on El Capitan, if completed, could be the hardest big-wall free climb in the world.

And what about the next generation? Young climbers today are better than ever. A crop of super-young, highly talented climbers are already scaling the best rock in the world, threatening to push the boundaries of a sport that has been accused of stagnation. 12-year-olds Mirko Caballero and Ashima Shiraishia have both climbed V13. Ashima, in fact, became the youngest person to climb that grade when she sent Crown of Aragorn at Hueco Tanks State Park, Texas at the age of 11. Other young climbers like Brooke Raboutou and Kai Lightner and others are all also climbing 5.14 and are all under 14 years of age.

The Ruth Glacier in Alaska. Photo courtesy
Wikimedia Commons.

And in the mountains, the great peaks of Karakoram and Chamonix continue to prove to be the forefront in the world of mountaineering, as new lines are found and ascended. Hard mixed routes and ice climbs are established each season. The popularity of the Ouray Ice Climbing Festival grows every year. Way up north, along the Great Gorge of the Ruth Glacier in Denali National Park, climbers have been climbing new faces and establishing brutal link-ups and traverses that nobody before had ever imagined. There are still many pitches of rock, ice and snow in this world that have yet to be climbed. These hotspots continue to produce neo-classic alpine routes that will entice and challenge mountaineers for generations to come. And there is more to be found. After all, 24,836-foot Gangkhar Puensum is generally considered the highest unclimbed mountain remaining in the world, and it is likely to stay that way for the time being, as climbing it is against the rules of the local governments. There are several other 7000m peaks that have yet to see a first ascent.

With all the growth in the sports of climbing and mountaineering, it is easy to think that we are reaching the limits of what is possible for a human. There are only so many mountains to explore. Someday soon we will have climbed them all. On the other hand, progressing into harder and harder difficulty too seems capped by simple human physiology. We can only hold onto to holds so small. Yet, despite these constraints, it seems that a new generation continues to surprise, finding and sending harder and harder climbs, or re-hashing old climbs in new style. Though maybe someday we will find that limit, for now the world of climbing and mountaineering continues to thrive.

Check out this video of Adam Ondra and Chris Sharma battling for the first ascent of La Dura Dura (5.15c):

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VIDEO: Jimmy Webb on Colorado's Jade (V14)

Jimmy Webb crushes this classic Colorado testpiece Jade (V14) in Rocky Mountain National Park. Jade was originally climbed by Daniel Woods and rated V15. The rating was later downgraded after several repeats  to V14. Reportedly, 12-year-old Ashima Shiraishi, who recently sent The Automator (V13) also in RMNP, has her eyes Jade, which would make her the youngest person to climb the grade if she managed to complete it.


Jade V14 from Jimmy Webb on Vimeo.

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NEWS: Jimmy Webb Establishes V15 on Mount Evans (9/5/13)

Webb in Rocklands, South Africa. Screenshot from
his vimeo video

Jimmy Webb has reported on his 8a.nu scorecard that he has sent Wheel of Wolvo on Mt. Evans in Colorado, giving the climb a grade of Fontainebleau 8C (V15). "The break down is sick. A 10 move 8B+ into a 15 move 8a/+. A pumpy one for sure and suited my style/height so perfectly," Webb wrote. He went on to add, "Psyched to go back and try one of the harder exits!?"

Mount Evans and Rocky Mountain National Park have gained popularity in recent years as bouldering destinations. Through the work mostly of Dave Graham and Daniel Woods, several hard V14 and V15 problems have been established in these high-alpine destinations. Just a couple of weeks ago Daniel Woods opened The Wheel of Chaos (V14) at 10,600 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park. Just barely a week later, 12-year-old Ashima Shiraishi sent The Automator, a V13 also located in the park. The Automator was Shiraishi's second V13 after she became the youngest person of either gender to send the grade when she climbed Crown of Aragorn in famed Hueco Tanks at age 11.

Webb has proved himself as one of the top boulderers in world recently. On a June trip to Rocklands, South Africa, he flashed several V13s and sent several V14s. Wheel of Wolvo is his first V15. He also won first place at the star-studded Psiocbloc Masters Series event in Salt Lake City in early August.

Check out this video of Webb battling it out against Daniel Woods at the Psiocobloc Masters Series:

Also enjoy this video of Webb in Rocklands:
 
First try in Rocklands from Jimmy Webb on Vimeo.

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NEWS: Twelve-Year-Old Ashima Shiraishi Sends The Automator (V13) in RMNP (8/27/13)

Ashima Shiraishi has proven once again that she is one of the strongest climbers in the world, despite being only 12 years old. AShima quickly dispatched The Automator, a V13 testpiece in Rocky Mountain National Park. Ashima was the youngest person to climb V13 when she sent Crown of Aragorn (V13) in Hueco Tanks last year. Ashima has also made impressive sends of Southern Smoke (5.14c) and Lucifer (5.14c) at the Red River Gorge, and flashed Omaha Beach (5.14a).

The Automator was first established by Dave Graham in 2000 and has attracted a ticklist that reads like rolecall of some the best boulderers in the world,incluing Daniel Woods, Andy Raether, Jon Cardwell, Paul Robinson, Carlo Traversi, James Webb and more. The Automator is part of a recent development in the past decade of hard, alpine boulders in the National Park.

Ashima has drawn attention lately for her unbelievable talents. Rumors have been spreading that she has her eyes on Jade, considered one of Colorado’s classic V14 boulder problems.

Check out this video documenting Ashima and her ascent of Crown of Aragorn (V13) which at age 11 made her the youngest person of any gender to climb the grade:

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NEWS: Daniel Woods Opens The Wheel of Chaos (V14) at 10,600 Feet in RMNP

Daniel Woods on The Wheel of Chaos (V14)
in RMNP. Photo courtesy Daniel Woods Facebook page.

Daniel Woods has established and sent The Wheel of Chaos at 10,600 feet in Rocky Mountain National Park. In true mountaineering spirit (bouldering style) the boulder problem requires a four-mile approach, involves three different boulders and is over 23 hand moves in length. On his facebook page, Woods describes the route:

"The line is 23 moves long straight out the belly of this overhung, green lichen filled boulder. The beginning is physical with long lock offs between half pad incut edges and flat crimps. You reach a good incut rail at the 3/4 mark, then have to execute the final 8A [V11] technical boulder at the end."

Woods also described the problem as "one of the highest and hardest lines (so far) in the park" and raved about the potential in Colorado for for untapped bouldering.

Woods is one of the top boulderers in the world. He has climbed at least 10 routes rated V14 or harder, including five V15's. Woods and Dave Graham have established several difficult boulder problems in Colorado, including The Ice Knife, Bridge of Noises, White Noise (all V15) and many others.

Check out this video of Daniel Woods in Colorado's high country establishing some of Colorado's hardest boulder problems:

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Get Better at Rock Climbing... Today!

Traditional climbing in Unaweep Canyon

Getting better at rock climbing, every climber wants to do it, not everyone knows how. There are some crazy theories out there, some good and some not as good. But if you really want to improve your climbing in the shortest time possible, there are a few tricks that will help you turn that project from a dream into a send. This article is a brief look at some time-tested methods that are guaranteed to make you a better climber.

I will break this article into several sections and end it with a sample one-month workout routine that will help you see results fast.

I. NON-CLIMBING TRAINING
An important aspect of training for climbing is conditioning your body to be in the ultimate shape for rock climbing. But what does this ultimate shape look like? Bulky and ripped with muscles?  Lean and slender? The truth is there is a good medium. Too much muscle is as bad as too little, as muscle is heavy and will weigh you down. Consider Ashima Shiraishi,  the young climbing prodigy who recently gained notoriety for being the youngest person to climb V13 and 5.14c. Ashima is very small and light, and her strength-to-weight ration allows her to make gymnastic moves on the tiniest holds.

One thing that is for certain, however, is that excess body fat should be your first priority. Unlike muscle it obviously doesn't add to your strength and acts like an anchor while on the wall. When I first started climbing, I was about fifteen pounds over my ideal climbing weight. Losing that extra flab alone allowed me to go from a shaky 5.8 climber to a shaky 5.10 climber. Chances are, you know if you are a little overweight. As a climber you have to be very lean to climb at your peak.
   A. Cardio/overall fitness
     Cardio fitness is important. It helps you shed excess weight and will help you build stamina. If you are overweight and need to lose some pounds, I recommend a vigorous cardio workout three or four times a week. This could mean a 40 minute run, an hour of hard swimming, or a difficult hike. Anything that gets you breathing hard and sweating and gets your heart rate up into the training range (about 80% of your max) for at least 30 minutes consistently. If you are already at or near an ideal weight, you can reduce this to two times a week and lessen the intensity.
   B. Muscle training
     Lifting weights has some benefit for climbing, but while building head-turning biceps might be good to impress the ladies (or guys) it does little to help you send that 5.12 project you've been dreaming about. Most of your muscle training should be focused on working muscles that oppose the most frequently used climbing muscle groups. For example, climbing is a forearm-intensive activity, so working out the extensor muscle group (the muscles opposite the forearm) with exercises such as reverse wrist curls will help keep you from becoming too lopsided and risking injury. Basic muscle exercises, however, like push-ups, sit-ups, wrist curls, lat pulls, etc, can have some benefit if you feel you are lacking in overall strength. Climbing, however, is the best training for climbing, as will be discussed in the next section.

The author on Urban Cowboy (5.12a)

II. ON THE ROCKS
     The best way to become the climber you always wanted to be is to climb, and climb a lot. But haphazardly attacking the wall at your local gym, consistently flailing on climbs that are too hard for you, or climbing the same routes over and over, are all ways to slow your progress, and soon you will find yourself plateauing and wondering why you don't seem to get better despite how often you are tying in. Here are a few ideas regarding making the most your actual climbing time.
   A. On-sight climbing- One of the quickest ways to find yourself stuck on that proverbial plateau  is to climb the same routes over and over. The cure to this is simple: focus your time climbing on-sight! Always find new routes and new areas. The more rock you are exposed to, the easier you will be able to adapt to anything new you might encounter. Running laps on climbs you know by heart may be good for endurance, but your muscle memory is locked and you gain very little skill. Try to spend 2/3rds of your climbing time on rock that is brand new to you. At the gym, try climbing "random" routes where you pick your way as you go. Difficulty is less important than you might think, but exposing your body to new holds, new positions, and new sequences will make your skill level skyrocket.
   B. Projecting- Although it is good to spend most of your time climbing onsight, projecting has benefits too. For one, having a "dream project" helps keep you motivated and working hard to improve. It also challenges you to force your body to improve. You may discover new types of sequences that you never thought of. The key to projecting is not to become too fixated. Try your project for awhile and move on, but don't focus only on one climb.  Beware, however; projecting a climb that is overly difficult for you, one where you make very little progress on any given day, is not productive and a quick way to find yourself feeling stuck.
   C. Downclimbing- A highly neglected aspect of climbing. It is easy to reach the top of a route, feeling tired, as simply yell "ready to lower". If you do this, however, you are missing out on a chance to work on a necessary and valuable skill: downclimbing. Downclimbing teaches you balance and makes you think about the rock in ways you may never have thought of. I suggest doing it as often as possible. Just remember while downclimbing to be safe and don't try it on a route that might put you in danger.
   D. The Gym- Gym climbing is a good way to build your strength and work on technique in a user-friendly and relatively safe setting. However, the gym is not real rock, and spending too much time at the gym can actually hurt your outdoor skills in some ways. Gym climbing is good for bad weather days and the off-season. You can work out hard, get many reps in, and improve your skills. On the other hand, those neon holds are often not very much like what you will really encounter and make route reading far too easy. The best way to get better at real climbing is to climb outside as much as possible, and supplement this with indoor climbing when the outdoors aren't available.
   E. Rest days- Another huge mistake many climbers make is to climb too much. You must give yourself plenty of good days of rest. One key to remember is that you don't gain strength during workout days, only while you sleep and rest. If you are climbing hard 5 days a week you are breaking your muscles down and not allowing them time to rebuild. Your strength gains will not be as much as if you climb 3-4 days a week and allow your body time to recover.

(Continued on Page 2...)

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NEWS: 11-Year-Olds Making Climbing Headlines

Although it does not directly pertain to Colorado, this astounding news is relevant to all in the climbing community and thus worth reporting here. 11-year-old Mirko Caballero sent classic 5.14a Ubermensch in California just a few days ago, according to Rock and Ice Magazine and Caballero's 8a.nu scorecard. This classic route was originally put up by Chris Sharma.

Caballero isn't the only 11 year old making headlines. Climbing phenom Ashima Shiraishi from New York redpointed Lucifer and Southern Smoke, both rated 5.14c, at Red River Gorge and flashed Omaha Beach (5.14a). She was the youngest person, male or female, to both flash a 5.14a and redpoint a 5.14c.

Below is a video of Ashima climbing, including her ascent of V13 Crown of Aragorn in Hueco Tanks, TX:

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