Climbing Stories
Our challenge from the Spring 2006 catalog has been answered. Becca from Alpenglow Sports in Tahoe City proved us wrong by climbing Sundance (5.10a) in her Morning Glory Dress. You rock Becca! This really made our day. When your travels take you to the Lake Tahoe area, be sure and say hi to the crew…
Hopefully you’ve all received your Spring 2007 catalog by now. I believe it’s one of our finest catalogs to date, thanks in part to Glen Denny and his stunning black and white photos from the 1960’s. Check out a slideshow of Glen’s photos from his new book Yosemite in the Sixties (or limited edition) and…
Steve House just contacted us from Iceland. He wanted to share his opinion regarding the future of the Piolet d’Or and how it might better reflect the values of hard alpinism. Marko Prezelj initiated this discussion by declining to accept the award at this year’s ceremony. Those in the know can skip straight to Steve’s…
April 1996: We had a hundred acres to plant – Ponderosa Pine, Doug Fir, and Blue Spruce – but the nursery kept claiming that the seedlings were buried underneath persistent snow. I was cooling my heels in LaGrande, Oregon, waiting for the work to begin when the call came. It was Joe Josephson, inviting me…
by Jeff Johnson Editor's note: We're stoked to introduce a new feature on The Cleanest Line from Bend to Baja author/photographer Jeff Johnson. Jeff's work has appeared in The Surfer’s Journal, Surfer’s Path, Alpinist, Surfing, Surfer and the Patagonia catalog. When we don't have him chained to a desk at Pat. HQ in Ventura, Jeff…
You’re truly committed once you buy the plane ticket. And Friday (5/18) I bought my ticket for this summer’s expedition to K6 in north-eastern Pakistan and my mental state instantly changed. Commitment always precipitates realizations. I have a lot of things I want to do before I go; not the least of which is to…
After foraging through several hundred grant proposals, including some stunning 3D applications, we’re ready to announce the winners of this year’s Dirtbag Grant. There are two winners. Each will receive $3,000 to use towards their trip. The first Dirtbag Grant goes to a team of women from the southeast, Rachel Babkirk and Lucia Robinson, who…
Ventura, California Departure: June 8, 2007 Let me introduce myself. My name is Jeff though sometimes people call me Tofu. Yes, I am employed by Patagonia. I work as a photographer, writer, and assist in the testing and production of Patagonia products. I am hitting the road in my van for an undetermined amount of time, simply to…
Visit Patagonia.com for more on Brittany Griffith and to read Jonathan Thesenga's field report about climbing in Stolby.
Jan Ullrich has earned an easy retirement. After winning the ’97 Tour de France at age 23 he became a German national-hero. For the next five years he battled Lance Armstrong earning a record five second-place finishes, too bad for him but it sure made for great racing. This year it was revealed that DNA…
The other day while wandering around Camp 4 in Yosemite I ran into Patagonia ambassador Timmy O’Neill. He was hanging around the SARS site with his brother Sean and some guy named Aron. Timmy asked me if I wanted to climb the Manure Pile with him and Aron. “Sure,” I said. Walking to the parking…
Editor’s note: We’re honored to bring Patagonia ambassador Lynn Hill on-board as a contributor to The Cleanest Line. Lynn is no stranger to blogging. For a glimpse into the past 2+ years of her life jump on over to Lynn Hill Blogs. I was a bit surprised to read the following article about osteoarthritis in…
After speaking with my friends, Mike Lechlinski and Mari Gingery about their experiences in Yosemite and climbing on El Capitan this summer, I learned that many climbers are not doing their part in keeping the big walls clean. Apparently many people “accidentally” or even intentionally drop their garbage and poop off El Capitan and don’t…
by Jeff Johnson Sometimes you forget about your own backyard. While passing through Ventura the other day I had heard about a building south swell. So I hooked up with Patagonia Surf ambassadors Mary Osborne and Chris Malloy and headed south. We ended up posting up all afternoon at a spot north of Malibu. The…
Despite intermittent rain, the bouldering excursion to Redcliff was fun and well worth the trip. This collection of boulders is located about twenty-minutes west of Vail in a fairy-tale like setting amongst pine and aspen trees. I went with my friend, Jay Droeger, and his Hungarian friend, Lorent. About ten years ago, Jay discovered this…
On June 15th, we announced the winners of this year’s two Dirtbag Grants. One went to Rachel Babkirk and Lucia Robinson, for their "Down for the Down and Out" trip to climb, camp and collect used gear to distribute to the homeless. The second award went to Australian Simon Clissold, "an overqualified dirtbag" and slow-living…
I received this voicemail late Thursday night from Steve House. The call came via sat phone from basecamp in Pakistan where Steve, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj are in the first stages of attempting to climb K6. In this first update, you can listen to Steve talk about traveling in Pakistan, the weather situation so…
I’ve changed the title of this series because in this week’s sat phone update Steve House clarifies that he, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj are actually gunning for new routes on both K6 & K7. Steve also talks about finishing up the acclimatization process, the two new routes they’ve climbed already, and surprisingly he brings…
The last few days with my Italian friends have been fun! Yesterday I drove them to the airport and they are probably about to land on their home turf as I write these words. One lives in Rome where I lived for a year and a half, and the other lives in Arco, the historic…
Steve House called again last night from the Charakusa Valley in Pakistan. As you know, he, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj have been acclimatizing for first ascents of the west faces of both K6 and K7. It was mostly high-fives and happy times until this report came in. Mother Nature brought some intense weather to…
In this report from the Charakusa Valley, Steve House gives us an excellent description of K7’s features and explains how the team must find a way through the granite buttresses surrounding the base in order to get up on the mountain. Steve also talks about a special lunch they shared with the Colorado and Quebec…
While the rest of us were barbequing, sitting in traffic or off on an adventure of our own, Steve House, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj successfully climbed the west summit of K7. Check out Steve’s short update from this morning and stay tuned for a more detailed account of the climb coming soon. Listen to…
If you followed the link we posted recently for more information on Steve House’s climbing trip, you might have noticed some changes over at Alpinist Magazine’s Web site, www.alpinist.com. The current issue of the magazine, Alpinist 21, has been redesigned and is printed on 100% recycled paper through an Earth Ink partnership with Patagonia –…
If you’ve been following the sat phone updates from Steve House here on The Cleanest Line you know that he, Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj recently summited the previously unclimbed West Peak of K7 in Pakistan’s Charakusa Valley. Today we present a complete recap of the climb as told by Steve House. It’s tales like…
As reported on Climbing Magazine's site, Coloradans Jonathan Copp and Micah Dash recently made the first ascent of Shafat Fortress in pure alpine style. Located in Kashmir, India, Shafat Fortress stands 19,200-feet tall; the team's line has been dubbed The Colorado Route (VI, 5.11, M6, A1). Full details of the trip have been scarce since…
As promised, Steve House called in again with a quick update from the Charakusa Valley in Pakistan. It sounds like the weather has been bad enough to put the kibosh on K6 West. On the upside, the team is hoping to get out for a Sierra-style rock climb that Steve describes in this update. Listen…
Today we have a double-shot from Steve House. Apologies for not posting Update 9 sooner. In it Steve share’s Marko’s assessment of the weather, and he describes the Sierra-style climb that was mentioned in the last update, including the surprise they found at the top of it. Listen to Steve House Update 9 (mp3) Then,…
Steve House took the time to make one last call amidst the hustle and bustle of packing up base camp and organizing 30 porters. It’s a little rough around the edges but the sentiment is appreciated. Listen to Steve House Update 11 (mp3) Thanks again to Steve for taking us along for the ride. Previous…
Many climbers are familiar with the convenient, high-quality granite available at California’s Donner Summit. Those who have made the trip are no doubt familiar with the sight of The Summit’s Rainbow Bridge, built in 1926. Many come simply for the view available from the bridge’s road-side vista pull out. Those who frequent Donner Summit for…
Steve House is home from Pakistan now, but before getting on his flight in Islamabad he made one last call to close out his trip and introduce us to a special guest. In this last update we get to hear from Mr. Saad Tariq Siddiqi, the Honorable Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan. You’ll…
Editor’s note: Welcome to The Cleanest Lynn. Besides being one of the most accomplished climbers on the planet Lynn Hill is also one heck of a blogger. So we’ve handed over the keys to Lynn for a week’s worth of her insight. Enjoy. Many people ask me how I train for climbing. My first answer…
My last post addressed the mental aspect of endurance training. The following post will address the basics elements of the physical side of endurance training. Free climbing involves a combination of both power and endurance. Some people are better suited to one type of climbing or the other. I like all types of climbing but…
The other day while having coffee at Vics, the neighborhood café, a few people came up to me and said they liked the cover shot of Outside Magazine this month. This month’s gate-cover photo shows Lance Armstrong, Ben Harper, Amanda Beard, and Kelly Slater on the front page, and on the foldout page you see…
The Petzl RocTrip event in the Red River Gorge this past weekend was certainly “eventful”. This year Petzl joined forces with the RRGCC (Red River Gorge Climbers Coalition) annual fundraiser called, Roctober Fest to help raise money to buy a large section of cliffs in the Red River Gorge area. With contributions from Petzl, generous…
Over the last several years, many forms of yoga and eastern practices have been adopted into our culture. There is much more awareness about the benefits of meditation, maintaining good posture, and conscious breathing in our practice. Breathing is one of the few bodily functions that can be controlled both consciously and unconsciously. Conscious attention…
Overuse injuries in climbing are prevalent these days, especially for ambitious newcomers and people who simply have a hard time listening to their bodies. I know that most athletes are aware of the basic principles of preventative medicine but sometimes we tend to disregard them at the most crucial times. The following post is mostly…
I’ve found that the process of setting goals and the accompanying list of tasks “to do” in order to accomplish the goal, is essential in reinforcing my intents and purposes. Virtually every motivation guidebook includes at least one chapter about the proper organization of one’s tasks and goals. It is usually suggested that it is…
I was recently asked a series of questions on the topic of motivation. There are many ways to interpret the word, but by any definition, I don’t think I lack it. What I lack most of all is time. I often have obligations that get in the way of being able to get out to…
The fall begins to bring grey weather, and we endorphin junkies and fresh-air addicts begin to get itchy. Trapped indoors as the rock gets desperately cold on the finger tips, the sun begins to hibernate, and there is not enough snow to strap toys to our feet. So we start pulling on plastic or hanging…
I just arrived home from a brief but pleasant trip to Yosemite Valley, where I was invited to give a presentation at the AMGA (American Mountain Guides Association) annual meeting. The fall colors were splendid and the climbing temperatures ideal. It was a coming home of sorts, I met up with my old friends, Mari…
The weather in Boulder this fall has been exceptionally warm. I have been enjoying the warm weather to engage in activities such as a small video shoot on a boulder problem in Eldorado Canyon. Normally I don’t allow myself to get sucked into other people’s idea of what they want me to climb for their…
Amidst the hell of war, Fitz Cahall has discovered a story that will warm your heart: There was nothing exceptional about how Ryan Utz and Micah Helser became friends. After nodding at each other in the office hallways for weeks, they happened to discover that they shared an interest in sustainable building. They got to…
I think that Christmas changes lots over time. From the days as a little kid, opening each door of an advent calendar, and leaving chocolate chip cookies (which my mom definitely ate!!) and carrots for Santa and his reindeer to keep him going to each good little boy’s and girl’s house delivering treats, writing Christmas…
"The odds on very difficult alpine climbs are not in your favor. So there's no excuse to show up unprepared, to show up out of shape." Climber, writer and Patagonia product tester Kelly Cordes takes us through his training strategy for alpine climbing and reflects on disaster style alpinism. If you enjoyed this video, consider…
India was a place I always told myself I wanted to go, but year after year it got pushed around, forced to the back burner by the priorities of life. When my girlfriend came to me and said, I want to study Yoga in Mysore I knew this was our chance. Within days we walked…
The weather was so beautiful the other day that I decided to visit one of my favorite local traverses up on Flagstaff (Boulder, CO) called the Monkey Traverse. On this long, overhanging band of rock, I choreographed my own variation that I call Lynnie’s Low Down since it eliminates all the good holds on the…
Jeanne Young and I just returned from a rock climbing trip near Bariloche, Argentina. Beautiful alpine rock climbing. It’s a five-hour hike into a lake basin where there is free camping and a hut. We ate dinner (and drank red wine) at the hut each night, camped out on the opposite side of the lake,…
Our friend Kelly Cordes, who tests gear and writes copy for us, went climbing in the Charakusa Valley of Pakistan last summer and sent us some photos to share. Though Kelly and his climbing partner, Scott DeCapio, were unsuccessful on their attempt at a new line on K7, they returned with some spectacular images —…
Not long ago we brought you a dispatch from India by Patagonia rock climbing ambassador Sonnie Trotter. After three months on the road and a bout with Malaria, Sonnie is now home and ready to share a taste of his time in India. The Alpine Club of Canada and Five Ten have arranged a short…
Right on the heels of our time with Surf Is Where You Find It author Gerry Lopez, we have more good book news to share with you this week. Majka Burhardt, a writer, climber, mountain guide and Patagonia ambassador, just had her first book published in February. Vertical Ethiopia: Climbing Towards Possibility in the Horn…
In March I went up to the Canadian Rockies, one of my favorite mountain ranges, and spent a few weeks doing some winter climbing. What was most exciting about this season was that there was so much climbing activity. Lots of locals doing lots of cool new routes and new variations. But what was missing…
Yannick and his ski cronies from Patagonia Europe are stormin’ the steeps again. While denizens of our beach hut (Patagonia Ventura) have got spring surf on the brain, and the tribe at the desert mountain outpost (Patagonia Reno) are stymied by the all-to-quick disappearance of the snowpack, our friends at Patagonia Europe are proving that…
A big CONGRATULATIONS goes out to Patagonia Ambassador Zoe Hart who just passed her Ski Mountaineering Guide’s exam to earn her IFMGA mountain guide credential! This makes Zoe the fourth American woman to earn her IFMGA, or International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations, status. This is the highest level of credential available by a professional…
We found this e-mail from one of our European climbing ambassadors, Matt Helliker, in our inbox recently. Matt writes: Sorry for the group email, but I’m not long off the mountain and just wanted to give some info, on the Alaska trip. Myself along with Jon Bracey have climbed a new route on the East…
We received some stellar news from Patagonia ambassador Sonnie Trotter this morning: Well, I don’t have much time right now, but I just wanted to say thanks to all ya’ll over there in Ventura, working hard to spread the Patagonia name, product and love. Yesterday I sent the original Rhapsody, the world’s first E11 (5.14b/c…
Sometimes you don’t have to travel to Pakistan for a meaningful alpine experience. Our good friend and product tester, Kelly Cordes, who’s also the senior editor of The American Alpine Journal, has been on “The Chase” in his own backyard looking for ephemeral melt/freeze lines. Says Kelly, “It’s staggering to think about how many hours…
Writer, photographer and Patagonia ambassador, Jonny Copp — Jonny is also the founder of the Boulder Adventure Film Festival and Dirt Days — sent us this story about his recent travels through Europe with Micah Dash. Had the Tibetans not rioted, Micah Dash and I would have been caught in the epicenter of an earthquake…
Scott Parry climbing “Steppin Out” 5.10d, Yosemite Valley. Photo: Jeff Johnson Phew … I’m back! Finally. Got back a couple months ago after being out of the country for half a year. Long story, too long. I’ll get to that later. You know how it is when you come back from traveling; an estrangement occurs.…
Down with The Mad Brown! Exciting news from Patagonia Europe Rock Climbing ambassador Nicolas Favresse*. Nicolas and partner Sean Villanueva O’Driscoll spent the month of May in Wales, and while there, completed the first on sight ascent of “The Mad Brown” (E7 6b [5.12- X], 4 pitches). In Nicolas’ words: I just wanted to share…
Zack Smith is a ninja, a master of all climbing styles, a bona fide climbing badass, and if you haven’t heard about him, it’s likely because he prefers it that way. From Patagonia, to Pakistan, to every crag within a six-hour drive of his Moab residence, Zack’s been stealthily pushing rock and alpine climbing standards…
As the days counted down to departure, I couldn’t help but laugh. Max’s normal organized nature, the mechanical engineer in him, had been affected by the chaotic nature in me, the eccentric literature major, turned mountain guide. There are two types of travelers/packers. The ones who make lists, pack a week in advance, weigh their…
Editor’s note: Today we have the first entry in another series of posts chronicling a major climb by Steve House. Steve, along with fellow Patagonia ambassadors Vince Anderson and Marko Prezelj, will be attempting the unclimbed West Face of Makalu come September. They received grant funding from the Mugs Stump Award, American Alpine Club and…
To Steve’s credit, this call came in Thursday morning. Due to some technical difficulties we’re bringing it to you a little late. Our thanks go out to Steve for taking the time to make these calls. Here’s the first installment: Listen to Makalu Update 1 (mp3 – 2:36 – right-click to download) For those who…
Steve House called last night to give us another update from Nepal. The team has been trekking at altitude for a few days now to help with the acclimatization process. Listen to Makalu Update 2 (mp3 – 6:43 – right-click to download) As Steve mentioned in his first call, two friends from Oregon, Ian and…
As the warm, lasting light of summer slips into the folds of fond memory, the evening’s activities shift from late-day rides, runs, and climbs to cozier choices. If you’ve got little ones, this is the time of year you start thinking about snowy days, warm fires, and lots of hot chocolate. And what better way…
What do you do when the helicopter you booked is suddenly grounded with engine failure? You repack everything, get as close to the mountain as possible and haul ass on foot. In today’s sat phone update from Nepal, Steve House describes how the Makalu trip almost ended in disaster, and he shares some tips on…
I said in my initial entry that I would occasionally talk about or mention product. This is only because I am very passionate about technical product. I love it when a piece of gear works exactly how it was intended when used in the conditions it was designed for. For instance: when I’m making an…
“24 hours of what?” I cried into my cell phone. “24 hours of HELL,” Kristo repeated. “Well, okay then, sign me up.” He had answered my question and we left it at that. Two months later, I still didn’t fully comprehend the meaning or significance of the event’s name. I thought it might have something…
No call from Hi, We are all settled in base camp now. All of our equipment finally arrived. We are at 18,500 ft. Steve is still ill with a cough though seems to be getting better. Marko and I hiked up a small peak behind camp that is about 20,500 ft. We will continue to…
Two Makalu trip updates for you today, one from Steve and one from Vince. First up is Steve House calling in from the sat phone. He might not sound so hot but his illness is getting better: Listen to Makalu Update 4 (mp3 – 5:35 – right-click to download) And here’s the email Vince Anderson…
Some good news to start the week. On Saturday morning at 4:45 a.m. I received the following email and picture from Vince Anderson via sat phone (hence the low resolution of the photo): 10-18-08 On Thurs., Oct. 16, Steve, Marko and I hiked up to C2 (ca. 6,700 m.) on the std. route of Makalu…
Great news from Patagonia Europe climbing ambassadors Nicolas Favresse and Sean Villanueva, the pair established a new free route up El Capitan in Yosemite Valley. In their ground-up effort, the team blended elements of current routes Eagles Way and Bad to the Bone on their way to the base of a hitherto-featureless wall. It was…
