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. 

Ever since I started climbing on ropes last year, I’ve thought about getting on some multi-pitch/big wall climbing sometime in the distant future. But then I went to Yosemite for the first time with some friends a few weeks ago, and when I looked up at El Capitan at night I counted 24 flashlights (14 lights on The Nose alone). After that I just couldn’t stop thinking about it anymore.

3 Yosemite speed records in 3 daysAfter a magical summer flying wing suits in Europe it was nice to land in Yosemite Valley for autumn. Although with temperatures still soaring in the 90’s during the last week of September, it didn’t exactly feel like fall. The summertime temps made crimpers feel like buttered toast, and small granite footholds seemed like marbles polished with bacon grease, so it was time once again to forget about trying hard free projects and focus instead on the speed climbing game. Rolling into Yosemite with a high level of psyche I parked...

Speed climbing is not really something I have ever really wanted to focus on…. However, I find the mens speed record of around 2 and a half hours incredible and I do enjoy the feeling of moving fast. I started becoming inspired to set a new women's speed record on the Nose when I was in the Valley last Fall and discovered that the long standing speed record was barely even speed climbing - 12.15 hours! I felt that this was almost an embarrassment….That Fall (last September) two good girl friends of mine, Chantel Astorga and Libby Sauter managed...

I already posted my climbing Munchkin Lunge but Matt Grossman made a really cool video from it and I had to share it! Thanks Matt!!