Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Living the Dream

Thanks for all the support for the Nikon Festival Submission. Although it was denied from the finals, I'm psyched about the experience....looking forward to future projects with art and climbing.





My quintessential day here in Boulder Colorado.

For most of the last 6 years I've been a traveling vagabond following my passion for art and climbing. This existence involved sleeping outside in wild places, hitching rides, having very little belongings, a drained bank account and some gourmet dumpster diving for food. I climbed everyday and lived my dream.

These days I'm a domesticated man. By most people's standards I'm still living in the ghetto with my 1988 beater car and trailer-like house. Each day I find time to escape to the nearby rock spires and bag a summit. Making this creative short I realized that I still live my dream everyday...!

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Sunday, December 20, 2009

BAck To The Roots: Indian Creek 5.13a F.A. of M.D.M.C.P. 09

My most recent foray into the unknown continued with this trend. Nick and I were lucky to establish our new route over a few days and headed back to Boulder psyched on our little dose of adventure. We both lead the crux pitch, and I managed to onsight the wild twenty five foot roof on the third pitch by the skin of my teeth. We named the route the "Micah Dash Memorial Choss Pile" in honor of our good friend Micah Dash who was lost in the mountains of China this year. I think he would have appreciated the tongue-in-cheek name, which as it turns out is not a choss pile at all!! Micah loved the creek and was always good for a laugh and a quality shit talking session around the fire. Well...Enjoy everyone. Happy Holidays!! Cedar Wright.

Man was it great to get back down to Indian Creek over Thanks Giving!! The Creek has always been one of my favorite climbing areas, and it felt like coming home as I rolled into Beef Basin with my good friend Nick Martino. Over the years I've been lucky to put up some classic First Ascents in the Creek that buck the trend of the straight in splitter and offer up more complex esoteric climbing.... Read more...

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

VERTICAL CARNIVAL THE ALBUM




If you have been following the Vertical Carnival blog for long, you probably realize that I make most of the music for the short films that Renan and I bring you every week. I produce the music on my computer fusing together live and electronic instruments, along with my funky vocal stylings. If you like what you've been hearing, I now have the album for sale as a digital download. For six bucks you get 21 songs!! Read more...

Wednesday, December 9, 2009

BLIND AND NAKED

Hey Guys!!! Cedar Here!! So I am pleased to present this short piece that I created for the Access Fund. A few weeks ago I filmed Erik Weihenmayer Climbing the legendary Naked Edge in Eldo Canyon. What's special about that....well for those of you who haven't heard about Erik...he is blind and probably most famous for his historical ascent of Mt. Everest. This is one of the most inspiring feats of climbing I have ever witnessed first hand and I am so psyched for you all to see it...Eric only hung a few times on the route and it was wind to watch his techniques, such as scanning the rock for footholds with his hand then placing his feet with impressive precision. Eric definitely became one of my heros that dayCheers... Enjoy and please, please join the Access Fund by clicking this link.

Hey Guys!!! Cedar Here!! So I am pleased to present this short piece that I created for the Access Fund. A few weeks ago I filmed Erik Weihenmayer Climbing the legendary Naked Edge in Eldo Canyon. What's special about that....well for those of you who haven't heard about Erik...he is blind and probably most famous for his historical ascent of Mt. Everest. This is one of the most inspiring feats of climbing I have ever witnessed first hand and I am so psyched for you all to see it...Cheers... Enjoy and please, please join the Access Fund by clicking this link.
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Thursday, December 3, 2009

"Like a Prayer" 5.13- trad FA


Here is the matty segal send from just after thanksgiving, a great new climb at the most popular crag in Indian Creek. Thanks for tuning in. ~renan


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Tuesday, December 1, 2009

My Day "living the dream" for the nikon film festival

Hey thank for all your support! THE MOVIES ARE MOVED HERE... Read more...

Monday, November 30, 2009

Indian Creek Rukus

It was great to get back to the roots and spend thanksgiving in the unique red sandstone landscape of Indian Creek, Utah. After the tragic deaths of our friends this past summer it made me sad not to share this with them. It was clear that they helped the community grow stronger than ever and get psyched to live life to the fullest everyday. Here is the quick and dirty edit of about 3,000 photos that tell the story of T-day with the monkeys, complete with on location camp-fire music from the late Jonny Copp's father Jonathan Sr. We missed you Micah, Jonny & Wade! Stay tuned for footage of Cedar and Nick Martino's new 5.13 at the 2nd Meat Wall and Matty Segals new 5.13 at Battle of the Bulge...



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Wednesday, November 18, 2009

PSICOBLOG 9 "CORAZON DE MALLORCA"

For those who click on the "Read More" tab you are rewarded with a funny story about Miguel. We were hanging out with some Brit climbers after I shot this short video and having a beer. One of the Brit's had worked for a company that sold "Penis Casts" to hospitals. It turns out that it is in fact possible to break the cartilage in your penis if a woman is riding you on top hard enough. Miquel was mortified, but also could see how it might happen. I believe that he was a changed man after that day and may opt for other positions whenever possible.

On another note, you will be happy to hear that there will be a couple more psicoblogs, and then I will return to my huge backlog of Brazil footage for more shorts from the trip that started this whole "verticalcarnival" never ending blog!!! To everyone who has tuned in...again thank you...if nothing else I hope it gives you a moment of entertainment...and perhaps a giggle or a smile. I'm off to Indian Creek for a pre thanksgiving adventure, so stay tuned for some footy from that...and Renan is working on a short POV solo tidbit from a quick adventure we had up in Eldo today...woohoo!!!!

If you are lucky enough to experience the extreme pleasure of a deep water soloing sojourn to Mallorca, there is a good chance you will meet deep water solo pioneer, Miquel Riera, a veritable living legend. Miquel is one of the coolest guys you could ever hope to meet, with an undying psyche for climbing, women, and partying. I followed Miquel around one day for a trip off the beaten path. This was perhaps the most intimidating day of the trip with rough waters and virgin rock!!! Enjoy the latest Psicoblog. Cheers. Cedar. Read more...

Monday, November 16, 2009

Naked Edge with Conrad Anker

Cedar is working on more PiscoBlog masterpieces from Mallorca that should be up soon, but until then I'd thought I'd post this experimental short from close to home! Conrad Anker is always psyched and motivated for adventure and has been climbing nonstop in every corner of the globe for over 30 years...good fuel for the fire a snowy, groggy Monday morning after the Adventure Film Festival madness!



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Monday, October 26, 2009

THE ADVENTURE FILM FESTIVAL




WOOHOOOO Renan and I have both had our original films selected for the Adventure Film Festival in Boulder Colorado!!! We are honored to have made the cut with over 300 films screened! This will the world premiere for my short film "Pra Caramba" that features the best footage you never saw from Brazil!!! Renan's award winning film about suffering in the center of the universe is called SAMSARA. If you have the time we'd really appreciate you coming out for the festival. Adventurefilm.org
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Monday, October 19, 2009

PSICOBLOG 8 "FIRE OR WATER"



As The North Face Team wraps up their fun, action, and whipper filled trip to Mallorca, James Pearson and Alex Honnold take it to the next level and climb a sick 13d with the crux fifty feet above the Mediterranean Sea!!! Stay tuned for two more "Psicoblogs." Read more...

Thursday, October 15, 2009

PSICOBLOG Behind the Scenes "BALLERVISION"



So we stayed in a pretty baller pad while in Mallorca...but the weird thing was that it was haunted by ghosts. Check out this sick stop motion shot by Pat, who shows more promise for stop motion than rappeling!! Read more...

Wednesday, October 7, 2009

PSICOBLOG BEHIND THE SCENES "Anything For The Shot"



So there are more "psicoblogs" in the works, but in the meantime, I thought I'd show you this quick behind the scenes sneak peak created by Tim Kemple. Tim Kemple is one of the biggest Baller/Hustlers in the climbing industry. When he pushes the shutter button, you can literally hear a cash register cha-ching noise come out!!...it's pretty amazing. TIm is such a Baller that he even travels around with his own assistant named "Pat." Pat is a genius...as you will see in this short clip...enjoy. Read more...

Saturday, October 3, 2009

PSICOBLOG 7 "SMACKDOWN"

Alright for those chosen few who click the read more link...I'm going to let you in on a secret...Shh I'm not actually in Mallorca anymore!! I'm back in Boulder after three weeks of sports action...I tried to bring you as many of these blogs from the field as possible, but it was all I could do to get you six episodes from Spain...and still manage to shoot, climb and even sleep a little. I'm sitting on 250 GBs of footage so I'll be bringing you at least ten of these "Psicoblogs" in total, so please stay tuned and let me know what you think! Renan and I will be headed to Zion soon for first ascent adventures, so hopefully we can bring you a cool piece from that. Have fun out there...Cheers and lots of love...Cedar Wright.

So we went and checked out this crazy cave call Cala Llomabards and we all gave it a go. The seas were extremely rough and it was really unnerving with the sea booming and exploding below our backs as we dangled out the huge roof. It was even more unnerving when James broke a hold and fell flat on his back...drawing blood from water!!! Read more...

Saturday, September 26, 2009

PSICOBLOG 6 "DEEP BLUE"



Hey Guys. This is Alex writing a little intro for Cedar’s newest masterpiece. He’s slaved hard the entire night to bring you this newest dispatch, which focuses on Matt Segal sending everything. The rest of us are basically on vacation while Matt crushes and Cedar shoots. The weather has improved and everything is going great here. Only a few more days left, so I guess we’re going to motivate and try to finish a couple more routes . Hope everything is going well for everyone! Read more...

Sunday, September 20, 2009

PSICOBLOG 5 "THE WEATHER MAN"

I hope everyone is enjoying these Mallorca Psicoblogs brought to you by my insomnia and The North Face. This has been a labor of love. Emily and James have headed home, but Matt, Alex and I are here for another week and a half of gut wrenching action. so stay tuned....Cheers. Cedar.

Mallorca is a climbers paradise, and is probably the best place in the world for Deep Water Soloing. For the last few days we have ventured out of the more popular areas and onto some of the more obscure, and horrifying ocean cliffs! In the process I have learned that if you hit the water wrong..it can draw blood! This dispatch features Matt Alex and James on The Weather Man, a wild 5.13c with the crux 50 feet off the ground... Read more...

Wednesday, September 16, 2009

PSICOBLOG 4 "SUPER SOAKER"

Currenty we are all running to Pakistan where we hope to make some shallow water solos of some slightly bigger mountains. The jog should take us a few weeks at a steady 200k a-day pace, but dont worry about a future lack of content, Cedar's logistical genius has it all figured out.

As you read this, 10,000 hermit crabs are scribing pictures in the sand, which will later be photographed by the Mallorcan nudism awareness team as they fly along the coast tracking the movement of these strange beach-dwelling creatures. Via the marvels of modern technology, the images will magically morph into a stop-motion movie that is so realistic you wont realize we have left at all.

As a taster, here is the 4th psicoblog, the first produced by the crabs. Im sure you will agree that the quality is far superior to Cedars usual work - these little beasties really have a talent. Routes in the film include Los-kot and Two Smoking Barrels, and Snatch and are two of the most fun routes I have climbed anywhere. Klem has a real eye for a line and there are a few more of his routes I am psyched on - stay tuned for more...

Good morning one and all. James Pearson here, reporting from not so sunny Mallorca. The rain has arrived hard and done its best effort to "F" us in the "A", but we are all genuine men here, real tough guy types and in the words of a pseudo-straight Austrian fashionista, "our assholes are just for shi#%ing"

At times the blasts of thunder have sounded like a gas main exploding, and raging torrents regularly wash dogs and small children away, but this has not stopped the unrelenting crush-fest! In fact, even with soaking wet holds, the routes on the island have put up little of a fight and so in search of a challenge worthy shriveling Alex Honnold's enormous throbbing testicles we have moved on to pastures new..... Read more...

Monday, September 14, 2009

Psicoblog 3 "The Whole Crew"




Hey this is Alex Honnold, writing a little guest intro for Cedar's newest dispatch.
Mallorca is pretty much the most fun place I've climbed. We're staying in an awesome house, climbing on perfect rock over the clear ocean. Paradise, I think.
In this video Cedar attempts to introduce the rest of the team and show what we've been up to the last few days. It would probably be edited better if there hadn't been an all night rave last night. One of the objective hazards of climbing in paradise. But seriously, we're climbing a lot and we're psyched to get out to some of the newer areas and check out new routes.
If Cedar isn't too lazy, there will be plenty more dispatches of us falling into the ocean. I think Emily has to leave soon, which will cut down on the blood curdling screams, but we'll try to keep it exciting anyway. Read more...

Thursday, September 10, 2009

PSICOBLOG 2 "TAKING THE PLUNGE"



So Emily Harrington has arrived on the scene and gotten here first tumble in the rinse cycle! She crushed some routes and whipped off some routes...and generally had a good time yesterday. This blog captures here first moments on Mallorca's wild limestone, and also features my jump off the top of the 60 foot Diablo wall...with a camera!!! Alex Honnold, and James Pearson just arrived, so stay tuned for more climbs...and whippers with this all star North Face cast!!! Read more...

Tuesday, September 8, 2009

PSICOBLOG ONE "TESTING THE WATERS"

This is the first North Face sponsored North Face "Psicoblog." These short videos will chronicle North Face Athletes Cedar Wright, Emily Harrington, Matt Segal, and James Pearson pushing their limits on the wild sea cliffs of Mallorca. The climbing here is known as "Deep Water Solo," or "Psicobloc" climbing and involves climbing ropeless on cliffs as tall as sixty feet with nothing but the swirling ocean below to catch your fall. This has to be one of the most thrilling and pure forms of climbing I have ever experienced. This episodes capture the my initial impressions of the area, while I wait for the rest of the team to arrive!! I will create about ten of these short videos from the field in Mallorca. Hope you enjoy them!! Cedar Wright.

Wooohooo!! Welome to Mallorca Psicoblogs!!! I've been in Mallorca for over twenty four hours now and had my first taste of Deep Water Soloing. I have to say I LOVE IT!!! I started out my experience with a thirty foot whipper into the ocean!! Stay tuned for more dispatches with The North Face rockstars Emily Harrington, Alex Honnold, Matt Segal, James Pearson!!! Read more...

Friday, September 4, 2009

MALLORCA PSICOBLOG!!!




So...I'm headed to Mallorca to meet The North Face Team Athletes Alex Honnold, Emily Harrington, James Pearson, and Matt Segal. Mallorca is a small island off the coast of Spain, where we will explore the island's unique potential for a style of climbing called "Deep Water Solo" or "Psicobloc." If you aren't familiar with D.W.S, it is not for the faint of heart, and entails climbing the wild orange limestone cliffs which surround Mallorca's coastline... without a rope!! Failing on a climb means a spectacular and horrifying plunge into the swirling sea, followed by an adrenaline surging swim for safety!!! Tim Kemple and I will be filming the nail biting mayhem and I'll be posting short video dispatches from the field....so stay tuned!!! Cheers Cedar Wright Read more...

Sunday, August 30, 2009

CELEBRATE

The precursor to the road-trip, not a pure climbing video but a good tribute to an amazing climbing couple living an international life of adventure....CELEBRATE Norwegian style!

I first met Seth in the North Cascades in the early sketchy days of alpine climbing. We also shared our first big effort on a Himalayan Peak, a very sketchy mission. His psyche for climbing, culture experience and generosity rubs off on everyone he interacts with.
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Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Norway Wall Classics part 2--STETIND

Part 2 of the Norway Road-Trip. Packed 4 deep in the Northern Alpine Guides Mitsubishi L300 minibus we took multiple mini ferry rides to most iconic peak of the country, Stetind. Not only is this peak a wild volcano-looking spire of granite (1,700 ft of rock!!), but the approach is also magical: endless blueberry patches, waterfalls, enchanted mushroom/mossy undergrowth and finally pristine alpine lakes.

Unfortunately we got hammered by a torrential rain storm close to the summit so there is not much climbing footage... Amee and I were able to top out the last few steep 5.10 pitches and were lost on the summit for a while before finding the descent while the rest of the team found an escape ramp.

Shot with seth's D90 and edited with much car-sickness on the windy single lane roads.

video
endless support

music

best from up north,

~renan
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Monday, August 24, 2009

Lofoten Islands Norway

Northern road-trip in Norway! This is a work in progress for Northern Alpine Guides, and features the owners/newly weds Seth and Maren on the 13 pitch 5.10 classic West Pillar of the Priest or "Presten" formation.


Its really unique to have a sustained route of this nature (nearly every pitch is 5.10) on a spire rising right out of the sea. These magical islands above the arctic circle (24 hr daylight in the summer!) are home to a rich history of trad climbing, mountaineering, and hard-core cod fishing.

You know it's a good trip when: you lose your new camera on the plane, your debit card gets "captured" by the ATM, you leave your credit card @the gas station, it rains every night and you have a single wall tent, you spill a big bottle of Dr. Bronners in your duffel, the iPhone drowns in a wet pocket & finally someone steals your frying pan...more to come....

video
endless support

music


Thanks for checking in! ~renan Read more...

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

"I'm a Boltin' Man..." 5.14 Gnarnia in Ten Sleep Canyon!!!

I first met Kevin and Alli through a few years ago in Red Rocks and was impressed not only by their climbing prowess but by their good natured down home vibe. They are now two of the only local climbers in the extremely Po-Dunk town of Ten Sleep. I really fell in love with Ten Sleep while I was there and was delighted by the "Country" charm of this strange little town. Combine that with the fact that this is probably the largest single resource of Limestone I have ever seen and I can see why All and Kevin call this place home. YEEEHAW

Cedar.

Kevin Wilkinson is a walking canadian send fest...and a really nice guy!!! He's been quietly putting up test piece after test piece in Ten Sleep Canyon on the wild pocketed limestone. I had the pleasure of capturing his proud send of a brand spankin new pocket pulling 5.14-gnar crank fest!!! Probably more fun to watch then to pull on all those monos!!! Read more...

"If That Ain't Country..." Wyoming's Limestone Frontier

So I made this trip with my friend Nelly and every evening we'd head to the local bar in Ten Sleep and have a few beers. One evening this classic cow boy singer rambled in and I recorded the sound track for these short films! Even though Kevin and Alli are the star climbers...the real star is this guy!! At some point about eighteen hours into editing these two "Ten Sleep" Videos I asked myself...why do I do this??? I'm not getting paid a dime and it's a shit load of brain frying work...the answer I realized is this....It's a labor of love...and the fact that everyone keeps watching gets me psyched to keep the films rolling so stay tuned for more short films from me and Renan

For those interested in the technical details all of my dispatches have been filmed using a pretty nice prosumer camera called the HMC150...I edit on Final Cut, and now I'm using a really cool color correcting plug-in called magic bullet which gives the Ten Sleep Dispatches their funky filmic look....cheers. Cedar.

I took a little road trip to Wyoming and what did I find?? A little known, limestone Frontier called "Ten Sleep Canyon." The town of Ten Sleep has to be one of the most "Country" places I have ever been with cowy boys literally pulling up to the local saloon on horses! This Dispatch Features hard cranking local Alli Rainey and a few other "characters!" Read more...

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

Alaska Alpine Style

The full story of the AK adventure, a written piece, all the technical details and more photos on the Black Diamond Website


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Tuesday, July 28, 2009

"The Competitor's Spirit" with Sierra Blair-Coyle



So, I am helping Blue Water Ropes create a blog which will feature their athletes and mere mortals climbing on their ropes! This is the first video I created specifically for http://bluewaterropes.blogspot.com/ featuring Sierra Blair-Coyle who at fifteen years old is one of the top American competitive boulderers in the world. Read more...

Friday, July 17, 2009

"Caminhando a Slackline" Serra do Cipo's first Highline!!!

Hugo and I set up this spectacular line using all natural pro. Without bolts to add confidence, Hugo was a little sketched that the whole thing was going to blow...but I felt pretty confident in the setup! Everyday after climbing for the two weeks the line was up, we would spend the hour before sunset walking the line.

Soon I was turning, surfing, and playing on the line like I do on low lines. That was when I began to toy with the idea of leaving the leash behind and walking the line on it's own terms...full commitment...full adrenaline...balls to the wall as they say! Right as the sun was going down I took a lap with the leash, untied, and then walked it solo. All I can say is that it was an intense moment of pure focus, and when I reached the other side I truly felt that I had broken through to a new reality...it was a great feeling!!!

This slackline is right at the summit of a classic 5.11d route called "Murias," which I warmed up on many times while in Cipo...one day it felt right and I climbed the route sans rope...thus completing two wild solo goals which I had set for my self!! I left Cipo feeling like I had sharpened my focus and found the edge that I was looking for!!! I look back now on these moments as priceless and dreamlike!!! I'm already planning my next trip to Brazil!!!

It's time for a flashback to Serra do Cipo Brazil...as I dig through the rather overwhelming amount of footage I realize what an incredible adventure those three and a half months were. For sure one of the highlights for me was setting up Cipo's first ever Highline with Hugo and then after a lot of practice....walking the line Solo without a leash!!! What an adrenaline rush... Read more...

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Long Live Micah Dash

Long Live Micah Dash...my brother..my homie...my hero.

Long Live Micah Dash. He went out doing what he loved in one of the most beautiful places in the world...we should all be so lucky. One of Micah's nicknames was Jew Pac and Tupac's "Picture Me Rollin" was always one of his favorite songs...so that's what the slideshow is set to. This really gives you a feel for what a funny, brilliant bad ass dude Micah was. Read more...

Sunday, July 12, 2009

"The Spoils"

So this is the first installation of vertical carnival colorado. I will be bringing you a new dispatch every couple weeks featuring the world class climbing around these parts!!!

Vertical Carnival is officially stateside!!! While there will be more videos from Brazil in the near future, I needed to take a break and enjoy shooting and editing something different. This dispatch features Nellissa "Nellie" Milfeld sending a run out traditional 5.12 testpiece called "The Spoils" at Bell Buttress! Few if any females have led this risky and demanding climb!!! Nice one Nellie!!! Read more...

Thursday, July 2, 2009

Culture Shock!!!



These are photos that Dickey took of me on this cool 5.12 R climb called the Spoils and soloing a beautiful 5.9 plus that is nearby! I first met Dickey about ten years ago so we go way back and it's been great to hang out with an old friend and talk about the "good old days." Dickey is a truely passionate and artistic photographer who has been chronicling the adventures of the "rock monkey" community for many years, and when he gets behind the lense he couldn't be happier. The photo of Nelly and I flexing with matching shoulder gobies is classic! These shoulder gobies are from the crux of the Spoils which involves really digging your shoulder into a shallow dihedral! Boulder Canyon is a short drive from the city of Boulder and is a great place to get away from the heat and get your climb on. The spoils was one of the first 5.12s in the canyon and is by no means easy for the grade. With one flaring tcu between you and the deck...you bust the crux...woohoo! I'll be here in Boulder subletting a room for a couple of months and getting out and after it as much as possible. I'll be pulling out the video camera to display some of the beauty and awesome climbing in Boulder Canyon...so stay tuned for that...Vertical Carnival is going to be here to stay. Lots of Love!! Cedar


So by now you probably realize that I am back from Brazil...four months and four ticket extensions later!! For those of you who have been looking forward to the next short video from Brazil...hang in there...I've been pretty busy lately but am nearly done with another cool dispatch. For now, I am back in Boulder getting my life in order after nearly five months out of the country!!! I've been climbing up in Boulder Canyon with my friend Nellie Milfeld and recently did a photo shoot with my professional photographer friend...John Dickey.... Read more...

Friday, June 19, 2009

SNEEK PEEK: speaker series_trailer


Since getting back from South America things have been pretty non-stop. Its been hard for us to focus on much after the death of jonny, wade & micah... Slowly we have been getting back on the path of inspiration in the spirit of our friends. Here is the latest project, a leaked preview of a "speaker series" that launches this fall around the US. thanks for following, ~renan


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Friday, June 12, 2009

Video #27 "Conceicao"

So as you can see from the previous post I am now with a heavy heart after the tremendous loss of my good friends Micah Dash, Jonny Copp and Wade Johnson. Micah was one of my best friends...a brother from another mother, and I'm just crushed. His body has not been found and it seems that his final resting place will be in the mountains which he loved so much. While some people are lacking closure because Micah was not found, I find it a poetic ending to a beautiful life and think it adds to the true legend that Micah was and always will be. Long Live Micah Dash, Jonny Copp, and Wade Johnson!!!

To take my mind of of my sadness I have been hiding in final cut, editing this dispatch that you are checking out. Stay Tuned from more dispatches with the very very best saved for last. Next up Highlining in Cipo, and then...WOW! For those who have become regulars here at vertical carnival...GOOD NEWS! I'm keeping the blog alive...so stay tuned for more original videos capturing me and my friends adventures in Colorado, California and Beyond!!! Cheers every one and lots of love..>Cedar.

Took an hour drive from Serra do Cipo and discovered world class quartzite bouldering in a place called Conceicao! Brazil is truly a wellspring of quality rock. From Limestone, to Quartzite, to Granite, to Basalt, to Volcanic, and from the very small to the very big...this is the land of amazing rocks Read more...

Monday, June 8, 2009

Huge Loss of Micah, Jonny, and Wade in Sichuan Mountains China.

I first met Micah about eight years ago when he joined the Yosemite Rescue Team. Micah was a bad‐ass wall climber but had a lot to learn about free climbing the cracks. I remember stumbling around a corner one day at Arch Rock just in time towatch him take a giant whipper on a 10a‐plus fingers to offwidth crack called Midterm!As a seasoned crusty Yosemite veteran I hazed him with the appropriate amount of teasing and slander. To my surprise and delight, three years later Micah was cranking 5.12 cracks onsite and redpointing 5.13 quickly. “Remember Midterm” he yelled down to me one day from the top of a heinous Indian Creek finger crack that he on‐sited, and that I an hour earlier had whipped off, “this feels way easier than midterm,” he smirked. The tables had turned. Micah continued to progress at a blistering pace and was soon sending the gnar in the mountains and living the dream of a sponsored bad ass! Through Micah I met Johnny Copp who became Micah’s partner in the mountains and friend for life. Johnny struck, me as the archetype of everything an alpinist should be, big, burly, seemingly undaunted by the sort of situations that make most men pee their pants. He wore one of those infectious smiles that beamed positive energy, and the two of them together was a super strong if not somewhat comedic super team of the small and big. Micah was my brother and the loss I’m feeling right now is impossible to put in words…and I really haven’t event registered the reality that Micah will probably not be walking through the door gnawing on a carrot like a hyperactive rabbit and showing his rippling abs and asking if he looks fat. Right now the world just seems cruel and unfair…I’m going to miss you brother…I love you man….Cedar.

I have lost good friends Micah Jonny and Wade to an Avalanche in the Sichuan Mountains of China. There are no words for how deeply this tragedy is rocking our community..... The Latest Updates on Adventure Film
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Saturday, May 30, 2009

video #26 "Super Herois"

I want to make an hour long film about my time here in Brazil. A lot of the locals have said they'd like to be able to purchase a DVD, and I feel like I'd be letting my Brazilian friends down if I didn't create something for them to watch in years to come...so.... I will begin work on a short film when I get back to the U.S. That means that I will sit on some of the best footage so that everyone has something to look forward to next year when the D.V.D. is released. But I have plenty of other stuff to keep you guys entertained for the next month or so, then I will be creating short films about my coming adventures in California. Vertical Carnival will live on....so please stay tuned...and thanks again for being a part of my creative outlet...lots of love...Cedar Wright.

This dispatch features local hardman Magråo on another Cipo mega-classic called "Super Herois," a 58 meter 28 quickdraw journey up some of the best stone I have ever climbed on. The moves are sustained, gymnastic, and in your face! You get to the top of this one and you feel like a Super Hero! Sitting in Rio digging through the two hundred gigs of footage that I shot in Cipo, I have decided that.... Read more...

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Video #25 "Animais Selvagens"

Hey there guys!!! Hope life is good! I am enjoying my time back in Rio and realizing what an amazing amount of footage I have compiled. The last few days have been spent between the beach and the computer. I've been enjoying some much needed rest after over a month of climb, climb, climbing! As far as the future...I can guarantee at least four more dispatches and probably a couple more before I head home, and I've been purposely saving the wildest footage for last...so prepare for the next level!! As I mentioned before, I think I will keep the blog going with adventures in Yosemite and wherever else the wind may carry me so... for those who have grown accustomed to the vertical carnival...it will most likely be a party that does not end. Wooohoo! Stay tuned....I should have another episode up by the end of the week!

Wow! I don't know what is harder to believe, that I've been out of the country for over three months, or that this is the 25th dispatch. This episode displays some of the raw beauty of Cipo and gives you a feel for what a beautiful place Cipo is to climb...and just be. Thanks for watching...Cedar. Read more...

Monday, May 25, 2009

Video #24 "Calada da Noite"

For those of you following the blog and hoping for more videos, you will not be dissapointed, I can promise you at least five more Cipo Videos, and I am considering keeping the vertical carnival going back in the U.S. by creating short videos of my adventures in Yosemite! Cheers, thanks for being a part of vertical carnival, and LOTS OF LOVE, Cedar Wright.

Follow local hardwoman Anne up another Cipo classic called "Calada da Noite" loosely translated as the "the cover of night." Calada was one of the first climbs I did when I got to Cipo and I knew I wanted to film someone on it before I left! The rock is impeccable, the moves varied, and the crux culminates with a technical and esoteric mantel...CLASSIC! Read more...

Friday, May 22, 2009

Video #23 "Jah Sinos"

So after nearly two months in Cipo, I am finally back in RIo hanging out with Jah and Hugo and reviewing the thirty plus hours of footage that I compiled, when I wasn't busy climbing on the world class stone! Now that I am in the land of highspeed internet, I will try to bring you a couple videos a week that pay tribute to the beauty and hard climbing that Cipo has to offer. Expect at least five if not more short videos, in the next few weeks. And it's only going to get better, I'm saving the best for last....Jah and I free soloing "Murios" a beautiuful 45 meter route follows a striking streak of golden stone in Cipo, and perhaps the most amazing footage of all, Hugo and his friend Marcio jumping off the Tabeleiro a 1200 foot waterfall near Cipo. So To everyone following the blog stay tuned and thanks for being a part of my adventures! Lots of Love, Cedar Wright!

This dispatch features Lucas, aka "Jah" climbing "Sinos de Aldeberan" one of the most classic sport climbs I have ever done!! A 55 meter Journey up a striking gold, orange, and black streaked arete capped with a wild roof feature. While it is a "sport climb" the bolts are well spaced and when you mantel the summit, your arms and mind are pumped. It doesn't get any better than "Sinos!" Read more...

Friday, May 15, 2009

Video# 22 "Fortes Brasileiras"

For those of you wondering when the good times will come to an end...I have good news...with all of the amazing footage I have compiled and three more weeks in the country...there will be many more dispatches to come, including Jah Soloing hard sport routes, and cruising the megaclassic "Sinos" route. There will be Hugo basejumping off the tabeleiro, and there will be other hard routes like Super Herois and Projecta de Vida, 5.14 to come...so stay tuned, and thanks for being a part of my trip...lots of Love Cedar.

"FORTES BRASILEIRAS" Vertical Carnival Video 22 from Cedar Wright on Vimeo.

This is the second dispatch from Serra do Cipo where I have been living and climbing for the last month. There are a lot of strong women climbing on the limestone here, so this is my way of giving them props!!! Read more...

Friday, May 8, 2009

Video#21 "Out of Town"

So!! I have achieved what I initially though impossible and conquered the ultra slow internet connection here in Serra do Cipo to bring you the first in what will be many dispatches about this truly beautiful limestone paradise. I have been to many of the world's destination sportclimbing areas in the U.S., Spain and China, and think that this area is every bit as good as any of the top notch crags etched my "classic" climbs memory bank.

Future dispatches to look forward to include "Jah" doing one of the most bad ass solos I have ever witnessed which culminates with a show stopping dyno over a hundred feet off the ground. I also have filmed the locals cranking some of the areas most classic climbs so stay tuned for dispatches that show beautiful climbs like "Sinos" one of the top five best single pitch climbs I have ever done! Hugo and I set up a Cipo's first ever highline a week ago as well so stay tuned for yet another slacklining dispatch, and if all goes as planned I will be filming Hugo basejumping off of the Tabaleiro waterfall and then heading to Salinas so who knows how many more videos and how much more time the vertical carnival will see, but it won't be over soon.

I want to thank all of the climbers that I have met or who have given me beta on the blog or on the internet and apologize again for not being able to feature and visit every classic area that has been suggested. The good news is I am super psyched on Brazil, and will definitely be back. So...lots of love to everyone who has checked out this blog, and here is to lots of adventures and fun for you in the future. Cedar Wright!

The first in what will be four or five videos featuring soloing, hard sport climbing, highlining, and the raw beauty of Serra do Cipo, a little known world class limestone climbing mecca in the countryside of Brazil. Read more...

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

How Two Weeks Becomes Three Months!!!


For those of you who have been following the blog, you have probably noticed that nearly a month has gone by without a new post, well first of all, my aplogies, and second...there are several reasons for this month long drought of new content. The technical Guru Renan has left the building, forcing me to step up my blogging game, and I have spent the last month in a small town called Serra do Cipo where the internet works...sometimes and is slower than a snail on valium. The Slacker Stunts dispatch was actually created about two weeks ago but due to my lack of computer savvy and a botched ftp attempt...it comes to you a bit late! Better late than never right!!

The good news is that I have been pulling out the HD camera quite a bit here in Cipo! In the process I have captured some spectacular climbing, highlining, soloing, and scenic footage, so stay tuned for at least three and probably four blogs from Cipo, which incidentally has to be one of the best kept secrets
as far as world class climbing destinations go. We are talking impeccable limestone, dirt cheap living, beautiful waterfalls and swimming holes for rest days!
This is truely a rock climbers paradise, and every climber I talk to mentions another must see crag around the next bend.

My opinion is that Cipo is a future destination for climbers seeking world class limestone in an exotic setting. I do not think I am exaggerating when I say this is another Spain in the making with an endless supply of undeveloped rock for future climbers. Do not expect to tick the big numbers here though, my experience is that Brazilian climbers have fully embraced the spirit of the sandbag. Expéct to get schooled!

I have another month and half here in the country, so after Cipo, stay tuned for dispatches from Salinas, where Hugo and I will be climbing granite big walls together! Again, to everyone following the blog, thanks for tuning in...the fun never stops! Lots of Love, Cedar Wright.

When I planned the vertical carnival climbing trip, I slated two weeks for Brazil thinking that this would be plenty of time to sample a little climbing and familiarize myself with the "small" amount of climbing the country had to offer. Well...two months later, and on my third ticket extension, I have realized that there is in fact a life time of world class rock here in Brazil! It is strange to think that Renan who started this trip with me, has now been to Borneo and back, and I am still here!!! Let it be no secret I have fallen in love with Brazil! Read more...

Video #20 "Slacker Stunts"



This is the last Video Dispatch from Rio, but stay tuned for several more from Serra do Cipo where Cedar, Hugo and Jah have been climbing up a storm!!! Read more...

Saturday, April 25, 2009

Borneo Big Wall--"THE SUMMIT"


The team in Borneo just topped out the wall and tagged the summit. The last of 8 videos send from the field on the BORNEO DISPATCHES SITE


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Thursday, April 9, 2009

Rio, The Best Climbing City in the World?

Rio is an incredibly diverse city, and the landscape that it is molded around embodies this fact. There are bigwalls towering over skyscrapers, white sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, and all this peppered with excellent crags and boulders. Rio is a paradise for the active city dweller. In one day you could be surfing, climbing, slacklining, paragliding, running, and myriad of other active pursuits if you were so inclined. And when the sun goes down, the nightlife here in Rio is legendary, with a festive mix of live music and fun people.
In my opinion Rio is one of the best climbing cities in the world! Where else do you have multiple big wall opportunities leaping out of the cityscape! And the rock isn’t choss, it’s world-class granite, with crystal protrusions that are sometimes reminiscent of Tuolumne’s knob climbing, but also forms in wild overhangs! The new route potential here is limited only by your imagination and work ethic. I really can’t say enough good things about the climbing here!
I would love to come back with more time and a better idea of the lay of the land, to explore Rio and the country of Brazil more thoroughly. For now, I only have a couple weeks left, so I’m going to make the most of my time in this wild and beautiful city. To say I have scratched the surface would be an exaggeration, and I haven’t even seen the endless supply of rock in the surrounding towns and rural areas. It seems like a return trip is in my future!
Beyond all the climbing and slacklining that has filled our days, one of the biggest adventures for me has been driving; lanes are suggestions, traffic lights are effectively stop signs, head lights are optional, and if you aren’t aggressive you will probably be pushed off the road by an impatient Brazilian ready to merge! Add one of the impressive thunderstorms that have been slamming the city and you’ve got a recipe for white knuckles!
And now I drive alone, I’m the last man standing! Renan and Tim have headed back home, and left me to finish the adventure and the blog with my Brazilian friends, Hugo, Jah, and Diogo! Stay tuned for a couple more blog posts as I dig through the amazing backlog of footage and continue to shoot our climbing and slacking adventures. To everyone who has checked out the blog, thanks for taking the time, be sure to check out http://borneobigwall.blogspot.com/ where believe it or not, Renan is already chronicling his next expedition to Borneo.
Lots of Love!
Cedar Wright.


Rio is an incredibly diverse city, and the landscape that it is molded around embodies this fact. There are bigwalls towering over skyscrapers, white sandy beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, and all this peppered with excellent crags and boulders. Rio is a paradise for the active city dweller. In one day you could be surfing, climbing, slacklining, paragliding, running, and myriad of other active pursuits if you were so inclined. Read more...

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Video #19 "Impressions Of Rio"



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Monday, March 30, 2009

Video #18 "Island-Liners"



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Tickets are Made for Changing!



To give you an idea of the last ten days, just imagine a bunch of over caffeinated under slept, over stimulated monkeys in a whirlwind of slacklines, traffic, rock climbs and night life…now add a few video cameras, still cameras, and some crazy Brazilian characters to the mix and you are starting to get the picture!
Just getting still photographs can be a bit of an undertaking, but it’s nothing compared to Video which takes an incredible amount of coordination, collaboration, and sometimes coercion…not to mention a little good old fashioned luck and timing to pull off successfully. Major Props to Nic Rosen for simul-tasking the roles of director, producer, and videographer! He only pulled a few small tufts of hair out of his head in the process! Now that Renan and I are the last men standing, it’s time to let the dizzying head-spin come slowly to a stop.


A huge shout out to the Bintang crew, especially Hugo, Diogo, and Lucas aka “Jah” who have stepped up my definition of the word hospitality! These guys have opened up there homes, driven us all over the city, and generally been indispensable, and inspiring. So a huge Obrigado to the Brazilian Monkey Crew at Bintang who have made a potentially harrowing adventure in Rio, smooth and seamless.

So according to the original itinerary, Vertical Carnival would be over now and the post your are reading would be a whimsical goodbye, a philosophical and nostalgic look back on the good times, the bad times, and all our adventures, but Brazil is just too darn much fun for that…so Renan and I have extended our tickets! We just don’t want the good times to end, and in our ten days here in Brazil we have barely scratched the surface of Rio, let alone this massive country. So…Renan is staying for another week, and I am staying for nearly another month! I’ve always been of the philosophy that life is short and your trips should be long…so there you have it!

To everyone who has been following the blog, we hope you are enjoying our “labor of love,” and thanks for taking the time to surf our blog a bit. Renan and I have both spent some late nights obsessing, micro-editing and generally burning the candle at both ends to bring you these dispatches. It got to the point where most of our inside jokes involved “Final Cut” terminology! So, while it may seem like a quaint little hobby, each two-minute or less clip represents countless hours of work; from shooting, to editing to upload, and then repeat!! It’s bigwall and beach time!! I get to chill, and bring you a couple more dispatches at a slower pace…before I head home! Stay Tuned!

Lots of LOVE to everyone out there!!! Cedar Wright.


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Thursday, March 26, 2009

Video #17 "Urban Art Forms"

I have always loved Graffiti that goes beyond the visual pollution of mindless tags and enters the realm of Urban Art. One of the things that I have come to love about Rio is the endless supply of eye candy in the form of gorgeous installations of high quality street art.

After years of fighting against the growing prevalence of graffiti in Rio, the city designated certain areas “legal” for emerging graffiti artists to explore their craft.
A few days ago, we took a tour of some of the incredibly long murals that stretch along the walls of the Batofogo District. Entire blocks of this part of the city are covered in colorfully surreal art.. Everywhere you go around Rio, you will find all varieties of creative, vibrant, masterful art. From street posts, to circuit breakers boxes, to walls, to fire hydrant; in the world of graffiti the possibilities for a canvas are limited only by the imagination of the artist.
Driving, exploring the urban art scene, climbing, surfing, and even the nightlife is an adventure here in Rio! So…stay tuned for more dispatches as we explore the amazing climbing and highlining potential that abounds in this unique and diverse city.

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Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Brazil Black and Whites

Out of the cold of Patagonia and into the heat and humidity of Rio de Janeiro Brazil! Thankfully we have the knowledge of the Bintang crew to guide us as we learn to navigate the labyrinth of roads, trails, and beaches. This trully is one of the most dynamic urban environments I have seen. tk

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Saturday, March 21, 2009

Video #16 "Rio Craggin"

The whirlwind of Vertical Carnival continues to spin. The pace of the trip might best be characterized by the traffic that endlessly cycles through Rio, chaotic, fast paced, and seemingly never ending.


This is one of the most unusual settings I have ever climbed in; picture world class granite sprouting up in huge plugs throughout the city, with chunks of crazy jungle, and cactus sprouting out of the cliff. The climbing style is amazingly varied, from wild trad, to burly steep sport. Some of the most beautiful faces are littered with crystal intrusions and red and black streaks.

The people at the Bintang house especially Diogo, Hugo, and Lucas aka "Jah" have rolled out the red carpet for us, giving us a place to stay and driving us to the crags through the mind boggling maze that is the streets of Rio.

This dispatch gives you an idea of the wild climbing around the city, and features Lucas or "Jah" as he is better known. Jah is one of the coolest most psyched climbers I have ever met, and embodies the passion that we should all strive for in our lives. Hope you enjoy the dispatches...stay tuned for the Urban Art dispatch which will take you on a tour of the world class graffiti that is strewn across the city! Cheers and lots of love...Cedar Wright.

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Friday, March 20, 2009

Montanhistas californianos gravam no Brasil.





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Monday, March 16, 2009

Video #15 "High-Liners"


After a month of cold, snow, rain, and sitting and waiting for a weather window that embodied our time in Patagonia, the heat, humidity and non-stop action that has entailed our time in Rio since we touched down has certainly been a welcome juxtaposition. Fresh off the plane from Buenos Aires, we marched two hours with heavy loads straight uphill through the jungle to an amazing perch at the summit of the Gavea Stone, (translates as The Crows Nest) which offers 360 views of the city.

Our good friend Hugo had set up a mind numbingly exposed highline, and we were psyched and scared to give it a whirl. One similarity between the summit of the Gavea stone and Patagonia was the wind. That first day on the line was a total head-trip with high winds propelling clouds up from the city and then straight into the summit of the Gavea Stone. We were literally walking in the clouds, which made crossing the line next to impossible.
Renan and I got beat up big time, and hiking up for another round on day two, we both had strong doubts as to whether we were going to pull off successful crossings. The line had only seen one ascent by Hugo and repelled all other suitors so we were definitely psyched to break through and walk the line. But not before some more spine rattling, soul wrenching falls.
I walked in the traditional forward on the line style, but Renan side-stepped the entire line facing out towards the city. Renan has always been a side stepper, which is how he feels comfortable walking, but to watch him walk a line this way is horrifying. Each time he would have a bobble and nearly fall it looked as if he was going to do a back flip or front flip off the line!! Crazy!!
So since the line we’ve had some other wild climbing adventures here and gotten more footage for Sender Films, so stay tuned for more videos and writing. A final note about our short videos which we have been working very hard on is that a lot of the unusual “light tricks” you are seeing are not video filters, they are us playing around with mixing shots of car lights or streetlights reflected in the rain with action footage. We are also doing some fun stuff where we animate Kempy’s photos to give it a wild moving effect. Our aim is to create something truly unique, from my original music which scores most of the pieces including this one, to Renan’s artistic eye for editing we are combining our skills into something we hope you find fresh and exciting. Cheers from the field. Lots of Love. Cedar Wright.


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Wednesday, March 11, 2009

video #14 "Enter Rio"



WoooHoo! We’ve made it to Rio and couldn’t be more psyched. A little sun and beach time does wonders for the Soul and we are soaking up the Brazilian “tranquil” culture as much as we can, drinking Acai, stumbling through Portuguese and getting to know the amazing climbing community down here with some of the coolest characters you will ever meet. People like Hugo who spent the last six months living in Yosemite learning, California-bulgarian-climber English from Ivo Ninov! Hugo has been a star, showing us around, and setting up one of the coolest Highlines EVER. Stay tuned for the totally unreal Highline footage that we’ve captured! Lots of Love…Cedar Wright
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Video #13 "GoodBye Patagonia"



After a month in Patagonia it is time to say goodbye to the edge of the earth and head deeper into South America to Brazil. While we didn’t experience much clear weather we made the best out of the moments we had and climbed what we could when we could how we could. Our first ascent on Mochito was Burly, Steep and Classic, and definitely the hardest line on the cliff even if it was a bit of a consolation prize. Stanely’s wingsuit basejump of El Mocho was harrowing for us and cathartic for him. And finally Kempy and I harnessed the last of the good weather and waning group psyche to tag one final Summy; Raphael.
This dispatch brings us out of Patagonia and and back into the travel blur. Stay tuned for impressions of Rio…climbing and highlining. Cheers…Lots of Love…Cedar.

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Monday, March 9, 2009

Video #12 "The Final Summy"



The time has come to say farewell to Patagonia. Kempy and I did an epic push from the base of Raphael all the way back to town and braved darkness and knock you to the ground wind gusts to make it off the glacier. We knew we had a short twelve-hour window of good weather and so we climbed as fast as possible stressing the fact that moving slow meant getting hammered up high. Even though it is one of the smaller summits it was an amazing experience to stand on a spikey summit before we headed to Rio for warmer pastures. Lots of Love…Cedar Wright.
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Friday, March 6, 2009

Video #11 "Ghetto Birds"



Welcome to Dispatch 11 Ghetto Birds. After our burl-gnar first ascent on Mochito which entailed nearly every size of crack known to man in it's 900 feet of suffer ascending, Renan, and I were worked. Stanley had sat the adventure out, and packed up his base rig for his dream mission the next day...the first ever wingsuit of El Mocho for the third ever basejump in Patagonia that we know of. On a wing and a prayer, Stanley jumped off of El Mocho. He took off like a rocket and literally flew over us as we jammed with the Glacier Allstars on the glacier below. When his parachute opened he was whisked higher than his exit point by unwieldy Patagonian wind turbulence and for over ten minutes was cast adrift above the glacier...leaving us all rather gripped that he may never come down. When Stanley touched down safe and sound we were all very very relieved. What a bad ass stunt!!

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Tuesday, March 3, 2009

Video #10 "A New Line"



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Sunday, March 1, 2009

Patagonia Black and Whites

We've learned to accept the idea that there is no bad weather... only weather, the idea of good or bad is purely a matter of personal perspective. The umbrella salesman for example would consider the rainiest days to be the best  --tk--

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Saturday, February 28, 2009

The First Ascent - smiled on by the weather gods!!

We are hard at work on video dispatch 10 “A New Line” but in the meantime, here is the latest.

After two weeks of rain, wind and some of the worst climbing conditions Patagonia had seen in years, our whole crew was in pretty grim spirits. It was looking unlikely that we would make it in to the mountains at all. The worst case scenario seemed to be, alpine climbing dreams deferred until next year for Renan, Sean and I, no footage for the Sender Films crew, and nothing but pictures of Rain and fog enshrouded mountains for Kempy. We all were facing the very real possibility that we were getting served up the classic Patagonian shutdown. We wouldn’t be the first to come to the edge of the Americas only to go home empty handed.

And then, when we had finally given up all hope, and embraced the increasingly likely reality of a soul crushing mega-failure, something unexpected happened. In the dark depths of our festering angst, Sean unleashed a bit of wisdom. He remembered that, “Roberta always said that you have to let go of your expectations here, Patagonia has a way of forcing you to let things happen.” And so after two weeks of emotional downward spiraling, we reached a zen-like state of non-attachment. That is when the miraculous transpired: a two-day weather window was forecasted amidst the endless spiraling icecap induced weather vortex. Blue skies, low winds, warmer tempertures…Woohoo!

And so, we packed up five days of food with high hopes and for the first time, actually made it onto the glacier, only to realize that after the two-week super storm, all of the high peaks were encrusted in rime ice. The normally fearsome Cerro Torre group looked positively murderous, and the Fitz Roy group looked like slushy snow plastered death inducers. And so Plan A became plan B became plan C and we opted for one of the only climbable and filmable options, Mochito, a 900 foot massif that sits below Cerro Torre. That afternoon after the long hike in we selected a line with plans to start up first thing the next morning.
Plan C was was shut down before we got off the ground by a huge gaping fifty-foot snow moat that we had not seen from our scoping point. We moved to the right down the cliff. Plan D was almost immediately shutdown by a lovely mix of protectionless dirt filled flaring death cracks, and water soaked rock. A quick bail left us with time for plan E. In all my years in the mountains I had never made it to plan E…this was exciting, but also in equal measures…irritating. Plan E was repulsed after Stanley pulled off a coffin sized block and nearly killed the whole wide-eyed climbing team. Plan F never got off the ground when we realized the crack was actually a decomposing vertical moss infested water course.
This was unprecedented….we had made it to the unheard of stage of plan G in one morning. Plan G was audacious, and entailed the proudest looking line going straight up the steepest part of the cliff. We had discounted this line as looking much too difficult for human hands. So it was with great surprise and delight that I was soon at the end of my seventy-meter rope and the first pitch. That’s when our good friend Jeremy Collins fresh from some bailed plans of his own appeared at the base and asked if he could hitch a ride with Renan and I. And so, Sean tired from so much bailing in one day headed back down to camp to rest up for his attempt to hopefully basejump off El Mocho the next day, and our impromptu climbing team headed up into the unknown.

Jeremy Collins a fellow artist who Renan and I both look up to, had been chatting with me daily on facebook trying to get me to commit to climbing plans, but our film obligations made it impossible to promise him anything and he went down to Patagonia with no partner, on a wing and a prayer to make it work out. He had suffered the same demoralizing bad weather no climbing fate as us, so it seemed karmic that he had somehow stumbled his way onto this first ascent with us. Having let go of any hope of climbing anything it appeared that we just might be receiving our reward.
The climbing was steep, demanding and burly, and ran the gamut from fingers and laybacks, to offwidths and squeezes with everything in between. Mortimer and Kempy and Bean Bowers our Patagonia gnar-master veteran/rigger quickly ran to the top, rapelled in and shot photos and video from above. Plan G was looking up, but night was coming down. With darkness quickly falling I stretched the last pitch 70 meters to the end of the hard climbing running it out on 5.11+ soul-puckering protectionless rope-draggy face climbing. With one headlamp for the followers, Renan seconded the pitch with out light, ripping impressive chunks of flesh out of his gnarled fingers in the process. He spent a minute in the black spiraling nerve wracking abyss on a precarious perch half way up the pitch while he applied half a roll of tape to the flappers to stop the blood from spurting everywhere. This would seem epic to most people but compared to his twenty days of trenchfoot-inducing sub-zero-temp big-wall suffer-festing on Meru earlier this year it was kind of par for the course.
Could it be…yes… we had made it to the top of Plan G. We stumbled down the descent with Kempy who graciously waited for us on top, and an hour later were curled up in sleeping bags basking in the angst releasing afterglow of a successful first ascent adventure. All was good in the world. We would not come home empty handed, and tomorrow Sean was going to try his hand at alpine base-jumping, and Kempy and I formulated plans for one last spikey summit before the weather closed out and we headed for warmer rock and better weather in Brazil. We named the route “No Bad Weather,” and dedicated it to Roberta Nunes who in her life embodied this positive outlook regardless of what came her way.
Stay tuned for more Dispatches.
Lots of Love. Cedar Wright.



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