It’s Beach Season!

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Its the start of Summer in SoCal! Which means time for the 100+F weather in the Inland. One great place to climb and just chill out with friends (and non-climber friends) is Corona Del Mar – Pirates Cove for beach bouldering!

The rock is super soft sandstone, and if you plan to climb expect to grab on some moist and sandy holds. There is a large cave area that holds a few great problems. The height ranges from ~15ft-25ft. You can live not bringing a crashpad in a few areas, the sand can be a great medium to absorb falls. Bringing a large brush and rug helps to get the sand off your climbing shoes before you get on the rock. I found myself spending more time trying to brush off sand off the holds than actual climbing.

This place is a gem. The stonemasters would hang out and climb here back in the day, and its great place to get your beach and climb on…. or in my case some tree climbing on.

I went with great group of people, good times. It is starting to be an annual trip for us. I have to admit, I probably slept on the beach more than climbing. Ha, which is why I was lazy and didnt take any pictures during the actual climb time.

There’s so much to do on this beach. If you get here early enough on the weekends there is free parking up on the street, and you can get a group fire-pit to roast s’mores when the sun sets at 8pm. But dont expect to get any climbing done in the cave when its memorial/July 4th weekend at Corona Del Mar. Unless your comfortable making things awkward for the hoards of bodies camping out under the climbs *lands on a child*

“Excuse me? Do you mind if I climb over you for a few seconds?”

“….sure, just dont get sand in my potato salad.”

done.

I hope everyone has a great summer. Ive always wondered, where is your local summer climbing place?

Chill out & Climb on!

http://nickitynatnat.tumblr.com/

-Natalie Duran

Climb Hard = Drink Hard

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This weekend I climbed up in Palm Springs Ariel Tramway. It so feels good to be back! I have to admit (after a solid 7 days on plastic) warming up on peppered granite bites back HARD. This will be my 2nd season up in tramway, ready to hit new projects and climbs. I met up with a radtastic group of friends.  It was an awesome bouldering day trip filled with tons-o’-lowball sending, wouldn’t have it any other way. Not to mention the random snow fall shaped like delicious white dip-n-dots!

 

Girl beta… works every time ;D

 Sandal Sending

I desperately humped a rock for a solid 3 min… while everyone watched.

My friend Kevin (& his appendages) doing some crazy moves on Byron’s Roof!


Our group of 8 climbers ended the day at Getaway Cafe. We had some delicious carne esada fries, and killed 12 pitches of hangar 24. Our night consisted of watching youtube movie clips that have “climbing” in them… followed by an intense critique about how unrealistic they are.

The best one is that flaccid looking girl, Kirsten Stewart in “Catch that Kid”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OVp9BoFNfDU

MAGICAL how she didn’t deck with all her quickdraws breaking off. Her ghost belayer must have an insane running belay.

Anyways… great granite climbs, fun people & beer… recipe for a great climbing trip.

Get out there & stay psyched!

I have a tumblr in junction with my blog if you want to follow: http://nickitynatnat.tumblr.com/

–> Natalie Duran

Being a Tourist

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Out of the MANY trips to Joshua Tree National Park, I only come to climb. The city of Joshua Tree is filled with culture, art, hippies, and weirdos (and they are AWESOME). I love the desert. I’m the disgusting kind of person who prefers 90F, and thinks <60F is frigid cold. This past weekend I, with a special someone, spent an entire day to go out and experience Joshua Tree as a tourist.

We planned to hit up “God’s Way Love” (Boulder Gardens, Eco-Sanctuary Retreat). The hard work and vision of one man “Garth” to re-green the desert using permaculture methods. His success can be used as an example of how nature can give back by simply taking a little time to put in place a method that will sustain on its own in time. It is located in Pioneertown, CA just outside of Joshua Tree.

BUT we got lost with all the different forks in the road that had no markers… we ended up having a delightful 4-wheel drive down this boulder filled valley. While driving along, we saw SO much (potentially) climbable boulders! There were heaps of scattered boulders everywhere you look. Getting lost was well worth it. I informally name this area “God’s Lost Way” haha. I definitely want to go back with a crashpad, maybe even some gear to try them out.





After getting wonderfully lost for an hour, the next bus stop was at Joshua Tree’s Outdoor Museum. Noah Purifoy dedicated 15 years of his life in creating sculptures and structures on this open 7.5 acre desert lot. All were created on-site from 1989-2004. Noah has passed away since then, but his sculptures are still standing for all to see (for free) all year-round. It was pretty trippy, there was so much to see. I felt like I got lost in this lot because the slew of sculptures looked so different from every viewpoint. Definitely a place to check out if your in the touristy mood.











We then had lunch at the “new” Crossroads Cafe. I know there has been a huge hit or miss review of this place with climbers since the rennovation under new ownership. It is now a more formal sit down area. I didnt eat at crossroads that much before it changed (mainly because I was busy blowing out my butt at Santanas next door). I got the San Francisco Ruben melt (spinach, mushroom, onion & Swiss) with spinach salad tossed with orange vinaigrette… not going to lie, it was pretty bomb.

Our last area to check out is the Joshua Tree National Park Arch. Ive seen amazing pictures of this thing before, and i’ve always wanted to go. The loop parking was located in White Tank Campground, and the hike was literally 0.3mi (PRETTY INTENSE BRO). We felt like complete noobs because we walked the entire loop and found no sign of the arch. We entered the loop again and saw that the arch was off to the right of the trail.  To my surprise… its not that big. Its pretty average size, but yup its still an arch.

All in all, it was a fantastic day with great weather. Couldn’t think of a better way to spend my Saturday afternoon.

get out there & climb on

-Natalie Duran

Officially lost my lust for Bear Grylls

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I didnt lose my lust for the gnarly Bear when he drank his own urine. I instantly lost all respect when I saw this “climbing” video. I don’t think TR or following up is lame… but the way he talks about being “by myself on the wall” & what looks like a trad lead is completely bull.

I want to learn how to lead trad with Bear Grylls. Getting up a steep Moab climb with 3 cams and 10 meters of rope, with no belayer. MAGICAL.

In a few scenes you can see that they attempted to hide the TR black rope with the shadows of the crack. I wouldn’t be surprised if they used a stunt double for some of the actual looking lead scenes. The most disappointing part is that Bear took a helicopter to the top of the climb (shown in behind the scenes). The dramatic cinematics may fool most of society, but any real climber will immediately sniff this out as a fake. Absolutely horrid  representation of climbing.

There’s SO many things wrong with this video its almost hilarious. I immediately busted out laughing when I saw him running to the base (because we all approach like that right?), parkouring between boulders, and the dramatic unnecessary slow-mo crushing of rocks.

I think we can all agree Vertical Limit is genius compared to this representation of climbing. Not sure which is worse…. Bear Grylls “soloing” or Tom Cruise “soloing” in Mission Impossible.

either way… Bear Grylls, little less badass in my eyes. Your just a top-rope tough guy.

Oh and, nice shoes bro. You would think drinking your own urine and eating all those bugs would save you a few bucks to buy a decent pair of shoes.

Anyways, haterade over haha. Climb on everyone! (the real climbing)

-Natalie Duran

So apparently…

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… I was crimping REALLY hard last night.

I went climbing at Louie Anderson’s “The Factory Climbing Gym” in Orange last night. The largest full bouldering gym in SoCal. The climbs and sets were amazing, over a hundred so far! The grand opening is this Saturday, free climbing, free food, free fun! I love new gym openings, all the holds are so textured, almost feels like real grippy sandstone. But… when I went home I looked at my fingers and there was a distinct line at my fingers tips that were BRIGHT RED. They felt really tight and looked like lil swell Vienna sausages.

I was working pretty hard on a few really crimpy problems. I love crimps, but I never had this weird red tint/swelling on the top finger joint. I guess I have to take it easy for the next few days, dont want it to get worse. Any insight from anyone? Or is it just a simple case of inflammation? Probably.

stay psyched & climb on!

-Natalie Duran

Summer Tramway Pass is HERE!

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Southern California is amazing in so many ways. I believe we have a really great, friendly, diverse, and supportive climbing community. I also love that we are able to climb year round. In the winter Joshua Tree is the hot spot to be, when its cold. Majority of the areas around SoCal is climbable in the spring time, since we only get a few days of rain… the rest are bright sunny warm days. During the summer it does get instantly hot in the Inland/OC/LA areas. Fortunately, to escape the heat we have several areas to climb up in elevation where its much cooler. Such as Holcomb Valley (sport), Idyllwild (trad/sport), also Palm Springs Ariel Tramway. (http://www.pstramway.com/).


The rock up in Tramway is solid speckled granite. Summer passes now cost $70 and is active from May 1st to August 31st (2012). I always say Tramway bouldering is “spoiled climbing”. You basically drive up to the base of the tram station, enjoy a scenic five minute ride up the tram, get off and its climb time! Nonetheless, I really do believe that the $70 in the long run saves you money from driving up the 8516ft elevation gain every time. The summer pass saves you money if you intend to visit tram often in a 4 month window. One tram pass for a single day costs $24.95 (adult). Also, when you get a summer pass you get an epic looking card, ha.

Another reason why I love bouldering at tramway… below is a picture of the temperature in Palm Springs, when I parked my car getting ready to boulder. After riding in the tram, the temperature at the top station was a gorgeous 74F. A -38F degree difference in under 10min?! Yes please.


Once you step off the tram, and pass through the souvenir shop you enter San Jacinto State Park… before anyone enters the park to boulder you have to fill out a Wilderness Permit (if bouldering you have to specify that to the ranger). They are constantly keeping track of the bouldering impact year by year. It is very important to imply the “leave no trace” policy. Bouldering in Tramway is a privilege so please have the utmost respect to the land, rangers, and tramway employees. No shenanigans.

Last year was my first season at Tramway… in just one season Ive met so many great people bouldering up there. Defiantly met people I will have friendships that will last a lifetime. These people love climbing outdoors, and keep me psyched to stay strong. Below is the SoCal climbing community, we all ran into each other bouldering one fine Saturday! The base tramway station parking lot is a long stretch & steeply angled road… another  plus with tramway is the trolly that is operating most hours of the day. The nice trolly ride birngs you from the station entrance to the parking lot you parked your car at. Seriously helpful after a long day of bouldering with light hiking.
Enough about how awesome the tramway station is… and more about the epic climbing. The rock up in Tram is spectacular granite. Boulders range from extremely featured, short overhangs, slabs, caves, high steep problems, and a handful of killer highballs.






Just saying… CANT WAIT to get arm/face deep in some delicious tramway granite this Sunday!

lastly, beware of the wildlife… because racoon dont give a sh*t.

Stay Psyched & Climb On

-Natalie Duran

~eeee

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2:55-3:10 just makes me want to cry.

I know that feeling. I do partake in the traddin activities. There are certain moves in crack climbing where there is so much pressure on all four points of the body. Trying to place in those intense situations is so nerve wracking. Especially when your pumped! Then you start to ponder whether that last piece you climbed above will hold or not. My hands are sweating just thinking/typing about it.

Trad climbing (for me) is a whole different experience than any other branch of climbing. Any multipitch climb i’ve done has been trad climbing, not sport. Gaining elevation minute after minute is a great experience. I still have the passion for crack. But, after experiencing a horrific trad accident involving my friend… i’ll take me a while to get on the ropes again.

stay pscyhed & climb on

- Natalie Duran

 

Psyched again

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I have to admit, I have been in an intense climbing slump the past few weeks. I was considering taking a long break from climbing to regain my passion and psyche back. My slump began from experiencing a horrific climbing accident. I was belaying a friend who was trad leading. He was climbing a really stout and hard trad route, after placing one piece he felt out the moves… then climbed down. Once he started to weigh his only piece, it shifted and popped out of place. He decked on a ledge high up, passed out, and started falling face first down to the base (without a helmet). By the time I had time to react, I only had enough time to try to grab him by the harness and pull back as hard as I could.

Out of all the places he could land, he landed face first at the edge of a small boulder. He lost consciousness for a few seconds, experienced retro/anteriograde amnesia for 30 mintues. There was blood everywhere. His injuries looked really harsh, he bashed his skull and fractured the left facial bones. My friend is a tropper though, he was super calm and composed the whole time. Still being a jokester in the ambulance, and calm with the trips to two hospitals. I am really thankful there were climbers near by with EMT experience. As horrible as the falling accident was, it played out the best possible way. My buddy is doing great now, he had surgery to get a metal plate in his forehead (pretty cool) with no complications. All his injuries are injuries that can heal with time, and we are all really thankful for that.

That was the first traumatizing experience for climbing for me. Even still at this moment, I know its going to take time for me to get back on ropes.

The 2nd slumpper came with my hyped expected trip to Bishop for spring break. I love Bishop. Its my favourate place to boulder so far. Unfortunately, (as you can read in my previous blog post) I contracted the influenza virus on my trip. All these series of unfortunate climbing events really bummed me out.

The last slump came from misplacing my quickdraw necklace I have been wearing for a while. I took it off to try on another necklace. The next day I was looking for it, it was nowhere to be found.

I am a person who believes in fatalism. Which basically means I believe the subjugation of all events or actions to fate. Maybe all these intense traumatizing/unfortunate events happening so often & so close together means something. I should take a break from climbing for my own sake.

I was still sick and the “What The Crux Competition” is coming up the following weekend. I have been in partner with ThreshHold Gym to set up this event for CCS series competition for my university and climbing club. A few days before the comp day I attempted to climb for the first time in a few weeks. I was flailing on V3s, from the lack of energy due to the flu. After a few attempts at some problems I couldnt handle any more climbing. Once I got home my high fever started to come back. Super bummer. I couldn’t compete in an event ive been planning for since last year.

Yesterday was the comp. The virus in my system subscided, I finally felt like myself. I forgot that I already pre-paid for the comp a while back. I was thinking of competing, when I started to shuffle through my climbing bag I found my quickdraw necklace! From that moment I decided, what the hell… Ill try to climb and compete. The competition went well, I felt strong in comparison to the rest of the girls in the comp.


The results were in, as they called the results for the rest of the women my name still didnt come up. Once was the OPEN category was called, it was a surprise to see that my name (and only my name) was called. I placed 1st in OPEN! Also placed 2nd, and 3rd in open I guess haha. No other woman competed in the open category with me. So basically, I was competing against myself.

Lets just say the $100 prize w/a massage got my psyche back. IM BACK BABY. Ready to crush again.

:)

happy Sunday everyone!

-Natalie Duran

Dealing with Influenza in Bishop

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Ive been psyched because I planned on spending my spring break boulding in Bishop. Unfortunately, I contracted Influenza a couple days before my trip. My symptoms didnt show up until the day of the trip… so I had to suck it up for the sake of the rest of the climbing party, there’s no way I could go home.

I couldnt complain, because I had the most gorgeous view outside my hospital bed (aka my crashpad bed in my tent). I tried climbing the first day. One attempt on a climb equaled an hour sleeping under the boulder… from then rest is what I needed.

The first night with influenza in Bishop was insane. We camped out in this gorgeous site away from anyone else. Sounds from the adjacent creek soothed my death pain. My first night involved a high fever and blaring headache with little sleep yay. The temperature outside was 35F. Even with the chilly weather I was sleeping on top of all my blankets with a sports bra and shorts on. The world felt like the temperature of my body, a constant 101F.



Pretty bummed my climbing trip was ruined by the flu. Ive was so psyched to get out to Bishop again, ive been training to start/finish some projects. The only project I crushed was dying in my tent.

so so sad. next time.

climb on, and be healthy

-Natalie Duran

Vertical Ascent Climbing Club

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My friend Sarah and I started a rock climbing club at our university last year. Our goal with this club is to introduce students to the world of rock climbing. I have to admit, climbing is an intimidating and weird sport to jump into… so we opened up our arms and welcomed anyone into our world haha. Our cute little club name is “Vertical Ascent Climbing Club”.

VA’s 1st General Meeting @ The outdoor rock wall & ropes course on campus

The greatest part of climbing is experiencing it outdoors. Every month we try to plan 1-2 trips at our local climbing areas. Its really awesome because we meet people who have never camped or climbed outdoors before. Its an awesome experience to guide them, because their psyche is insane. The new members are always excited to experience new things, are are willing to learn more and more. Climbing has done so much for my own personal life, so I am more than willing to help others experience the sport as well.

VA’s first outdoor climbing/camping trip to Malibu Creek

When I climb (especially in bouldering areas) I usually run into a group of kids who are outdoor bouldering for the first time. Unfortunately most of the time they are being loud, obnoxious, and disrespectful to the landscape around them. I cant judge them, because they havent been shown how to respect the land and the climbers around them.

So, with our club. We want to introduce them to the climbing world in a respectful manner. Climbing etiquette can be common sense, but not all of it is obvious. So it is important to show these new climbers all about the world of climbing, respectfully, and in the safest manner possible.

A group of new & experienced climbers at Mt. Rubidoux. A local climbing spot 5min away from campus.

1st VA climbing trip out to Joshua Tree National Park

Brought out the mobile rock wall ON campus!

Even though we are a new club, the VA cabinet has worked really hard to create all these events and lessons for our members. We are really excited that our club is hosting the regionals for CCS Regionals (Colegiate Climbing Series, part of USA climbing)  at our local climbing gym Threshhold.

CCS series has not been present in the SoCal region. So, this year is a trail run for our universities. Socal has an extensive climbing community, and I see these competitions as a great way to gather us all together. UCSD/USD & UCR are the three colleges this year that are participating in SoCal CCS.

Pretty psyched for it to come together, its coming so close! I met up with the guys at Mad Rock HQ to sponsor the event. They are always happy to help the community. I managed to squeeze out two crashpads for our competition, which is VERY generous. Mad Rock always has my back ;)

So if your in the area, come by and compete. Competition its open to EVERYONE, not just college kids. If not, come by to hang out with the climbing community! We are going to have Goodwin’s Food Truck come on by. Also, the 5.10 guys are going to be there with a shoe demo for everyone to try out!

These are the moments that make it worth it, above is one of our new members Matthew Chun who went climbing outdoors for the first time on our Bishop bouldering trip. This is victory pose after finishing a 35ft boulder!

I’m really happy on how this climbing club started out, and what its potential is. I hope the psyche can carry on years after I graduate.

… but I wont graduate if I don’t study… Biochemistry FINAL tomorrow. Gotta go, thanks for stopping by if you get to this point!

climb on. yall.

-Natalie Duran