Leavenworth Guidebook now ready for Pre-Order

By | April 12, 2015

Kelly Sheridan just announced that the new Leavenworth Guidebook is off to the printers and those who want to receive the book as soon as possible can now pre-order. I know a lot of work has gone into this book and it is very exciting that the project is almost complete.

The pre-order for the book can be found at the Sharp End website and you will also receive a digital copy of the book immediately. If you missed our interview with Kelly about the book, please click here.

Photo courtesy of Aaron Matheson ©

Posted in Outdoor, Recent News

Review: The Unveiling at Ground Up Climbing

By | April 12, 2015

On a rainy Friday night in Squamish, the Squamish Academy of Music played host to The Unveiling by Ground up Climbing Centre. Catering to a packed house, the event was an information session and membership drive all in one. With good food and drink, the event was surely not to be missed.

Posted in Articles, Recent News, Reviews

Recent News ‘Sean McColl Gecko Assis (8b+)’

By | April 11, 2015

More news updates from Fontainebleau. Sean McColl has done two 8b+ boulders in a day, ‘Gecko Assis’ and ‘Super Tanker’. He noted that Gecko Assis ‘took about an hour and Supertanker is a link up traverse so it was just about figuring out a few moves.’

Posted in Outdoor, Recent News

CEC Announces 2015 Canadian National Open Bouldering Team

By | April 10, 2015

Climbing Escalade Canada (CEC) has recently announced the 2015 Canadian National Open Bouldering Team. THese athletes have been sanctioned by the CEC to compete in the IFSC World Cup circuit and represent Canada abroad. To make this team is not an easy task and congratulations to everyone who has made the team.

Men’s Team

1. Sean McColl
2. Lucas Uchida
3. Sebastien Lazure
4. Jason Holowach
5. Yves Gravelle
6. Eric Sethna
7. Julien Bourassa-Moreau
8. Andre DiFelice

Women’s Team

1. Elise Sethna
2. Alyssa Weber
3. Allison Vest
4. Becca Frangos
5. Jelisa Dunbar
6. Stacey Weldon

Posted in Indoor, Recent News

Local and Recent News ‘Bourdon sends Replicant / Doyle 3rd 5.14 in a Month’

By | April 10, 2015

Here is a little local news to get you pumped before the rains set in for weekend.

Marc Bourdon has completed his project The Replicant (5.13d) in Skaha, Penticton, BC.

Mike Doyle send his 3rd 5.14a, Chemical Ali, in Smith Rock, OR. Mike has been on a tear after completing Necessary Evil (5.14c), sending two other 14a’s in Smith Rock, The Big R and To Bolt or Not To Be.

Posted in Recent News, Sport

Jason ‘Singer’ Smith Talks Kyrgyzstan

By | April 10, 2015

In the year 2000, Jason “Singer” Smith, John Dickey, Tommy Caldwell, and Beth Rodden went on an expedition to Kyrgyzstan to climb a number of alpine peaks in the Pamir-Alai mountain range. What they didn’t know is that they would be taken hostage by Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU).

I often think back to this story, meeting the characters throughout the years, and seeing how each of them deal with this traumatic event individually. For those who are interested, Jason Singer, or Jason ‘Singer’ Smith talks of his experience here in a podcast by Mysterious Universe. Please scroll to minute 30.28 for Jason’s interview and lasts about an hour. The interview itself is sometimes catered towards a non-climbing crowd but this story is really worth a listen.

Posted in Articles

Ground Up Unveils New Plans

By | April 9, 2015

For those who are interested, tomorrow night, the Squamish Academy of Music will host Ground Up’s silent auction and unveiling night. Doors open at 630pm Sure to be a great time!

Posted in Recent News

Antihydral: Skin Doping for Climbers

By Luke Zimmerman | April 9, 2015

My hands sweat a lot. Just thinking about my project, I can make beads of sweat appear on my fingertips. On my first trip to Font, I saw Klem Loskot slip off a warm up I’d just shellacked. He turned to me and said “You have fat wet fingers no?”. He was right. I did have fat wet fingers! Given my affliction, when a magic cream from Germany called Antihydral first surfaced on the climbing scene, rumored to stop skin from sweating, I was all over it. Using a chemical to alter my physiology in order to improve my performance at a sport? Sounds like a tried and true methodology to me. Sign me up!

Posted in Articles, Reviews

Recent News: Sean McColl flashes 8b/V13 in Font

By | April 8, 2015

Sean McColl continues to tear it up in Font, flashing Elephunk (8b/V13). This is the second boulder of this grade Sean has flashed, after climbing Nagual in Hueco Tanks first try back in 2012. Here is what he had to say about Elephunk on his Sendage page:

Discovered this line in 2012 with Marshal and have been eager to try it since then. Went there with Josh, Ronnie and Jwoo who gave me all the beta and literally showed me the moves. A perfect line lost in a perfect forest.

Posted in Outdoor, Recent News

Chikane in Siurana with Danilo Pereyra (8c+)

By | April 8, 2015

With climbing photos of Spain floating all over the place, I thought I would post the first video I ever saw of the Siurana. This video features the route Chikane (8c or 8c+) that was recently completed by Jonathan Siegrist. Both the quality and the storytelling are worth a watch!