My trip to Japan for the Five Ten Cup was so many things: a whirlwind of language, laughter, people, and very intriguing food. I boarded a plane to Tokyo and stayed just long enough to get over my jet lag, overwhelm my senses, and expand my perceptions before returning to the other side of the world. In the few days I spent in Japan I was immersed in one of the most interesting and engaging cultures I've ever experienced. I learned so much about a nation I had otherwise only equated to good sushi, and this trip left me...

Well, my bouldering season has ended (sort of) but on so many high notes and with much more potential to achieve. The last day of my Hueco vacation in January produced a flash of Rubber Chicken aka Van Dame (V10), bringing the trip damage to two V11’s and six V10’s over the course of three weeks. I took a break for another couple of weeks before returning to Texas for the Hueco Rock Rodeo, and then geared myself up for ABS Nationals the weekend after!

In the midst of moving from Fort Collins to Boulder, Beau and I decided to drop our boxes and high-tail it to the desert for some New Years festivities and sending. It turned out to be a great decision, as the trip started out strong and is finishing up even stronger, and I still have a couple more climbing days before we have to leave!

Well, I can definitely say that my outside mode has been turned on and training mode has shifted a bit to the back burner. My last big competition was the Boulder Rally in Portland which did indeed turn out to be a great event! I placed 2nd in Finals, climbing through some crazy volume-studded problems and creative setting. Since then however I’ve been quenching my sandstone thirst with a trip to Joe’s Valley and my project send in Horsetooth. 

Out of all the competitions this season, I must say that the setting for this year's PBR earned top points for creativity and interesting vagueness. I was a little nervous after our preview since it wasn't the difficulty of the problem that was intimidating; it was figuring out how to even climb it! We weren't familiar with the sweet spots on many giant volumes that dominated the walls and there were random holds we may or may not have needed; we truly forged into the unknown! Once I was on the problems however, everything more or...

The UBC competition last weekend was fun and a bit sentimental for me in a few ways. The producer of UBC, Pete Ward, has been putting on amazing events for the past 10+ years, including but not limited to the Gravity Brawls, the Nor’Easter, and the rooftop competitions during the OR Tradeshow in Utah. I’ve come to love how much of a show these events turn out to be with motivated crowds, creative setting, decent cash purses, entertaining lights, music, and an overall air of professionalism. The fields of these comps have always been stacked with a lot...