After weeks on the road calling parking lots home and sleeping in a space the size of a double-wide coffin I’ve returned to civilized society. For the first time in 6 years I made it home in time to join my family for Thanksgiving. In between the alternating rounds of voracious food annihilation and family banter I took some time to reflect on where the last few months of 2012 have taken me.

I'm long past being 'in' Squamish, that infernal rain has started, and the climbing season there has come to it's yearly close. Squamish holds a dear place in my heart, the destination of my first international climbing trip, the first hard boulder problems I flashed, the start of my first solo road trip. The forest didn't disappoint this go around, either. It was my third time there and most extended visit yet. 

Joe's Valley is one of the most gym-like areas I've ever visited. While the problems can vary widely from boulder to boulder, most share a common theme- long moves between generally positive holds on an otherwise blank sea of gorgeous sandstone. In this way, Joe's lends itself to a very dynamic style of climbing. Luckily for me, this is one of the forms of climbing that I'm least accustomed to, at least outdoors. My first week in Joe's was an abrupt adjustment, especially after my past month on the very static, precise granite of Bishop....

Here are some of my favorite photos from my time in Bishop this winter. I initially travelled down with my friends Bret Johnston and Kevin Carhart to stay in Bishop for about two weeks and then I returned after about a month in Hueco to stay for another couple weeks with Jesse Warren and Chris Sinatra, as well as some other friends already in Bishop (Yea Jon Thompson, Joel Zerr, and Colin Barnes!!!). I had come quite close to Buttermilker Sit and Mandala sit on previous trips and was capable of climbing through the crux...

Most of my posts up to now have focused purely on aspects of my trip relating to climbing. While climbing has taken up a significant share of my focus, it’s not the sole purpose for this journey and isn’t the only area where I’ve felt I’ve been able to mature and grow.I’ve now been living on the road for the past two months and while I was only planning on the trip lasting another month I’m thinking I’ll try to keep it going as long as possible. This trip has been providing some much needed perspective as...

I was initially struck by the beauty of the area, an oasis in the deserts of greater El Paso, as much as the fun, gymnastic style of movement. This area put my foot trickery to the test, forcing me to expand my heel-toe cam skills like never before. Hueco was everything I had hoped it would be and more, which is a lot to say considering I’ve been hearing about this place for over a decade. With Hueco as my first stop I’m feeling stronger than ever and with sends of my first and second V13s behind me my...