Tag Archives: Malibu Creek State Park

Dreams really do come true!

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      I got a couple shots in the new issue of California Climbing Magazine – Issue No. 3! SO EXCITED. California Climber is a fairly new independent magazine dedicated to Rock Climbing in California. I like that it focuses on all aesthetic boulder/sport/trad climbs easy or hard.

I’ve been to Malibu Creek State Park to sport climb quite a few times. Here are a few of my past DPM posts about this crag:

The first shot is in the opening page of the magazine. I am leading up Urban Struggle (12b)

The second shot is in the meat of the article about Malibu Creek. This climb is a nice pumpy jug-haul warmup called Johnny Can’t Lead (11a). Both of these pictured climbs are located past a 5.3 & 5.5 approach traverse over pathogenic water that leads into the Ghetto Wall Area.

It’s always been a dream of mine to be in a magazine doing something I love. If it’s not about a published article on laboratory research, climbing definitely is just as satisfying. I come from an Asian family that demands successes. I fell in love with climbing as soon as I mantled my first V1. After the first climbing gym visit, I signed up for membership three days later. Climbing became a change in lifestyle. Any free time quickly converted to climb-time.

Mom & Pop immediately noticed my new-found passion in climbing. They noticed, but didn’t accept it. If my activities did not involve school, volunteering, studying, or making money… my parents didn’t approve. I appreciate everything my family has done for me financially and morally in regards to education. But I still wanted them to accept climbing as a part of my life. So I pushed myself to get stronger and to seek out sponsorship. Initially, sponsorship was a “proof-of-success” to present my parents. Two years later, I still am the happiest person I could ever be thanks to the climbing as a sport and the people in it.

      Balancing life & climbing is fairly simple. I know my priorities. Next spring I am graduating on time with a B.S. in Neurosceince. I started climbing the same time freshman year began at UCR in 2009. Climbing has always been a stress reliever whenever school became taxing. I will take a year off before applying to medical schools. During that year I plan to take a class for the MCATs while working at a research laboratory at UCLA. Balancing life and climbing is easy for me, probably because I’m not in a relationship… & I am perfectly fine with that. For now.

#1 Priority: The ULTIMATE GOAL –> Dr. Duran.

Wow, ok. I wrote more than planned for this blog post. It’s all a distraction to keep me away form studying. Anyways, I always have to thank Anthony Lapomardo for taking epic climbing shots spread throughout the climbing industry. Even though he drags me to other far off places, it’s always worth it to get on gorgeous climbs. Anthony shot those images of me in the magazine!

Hope everyone’s Holiday Season is going well. I am currently enduring through FINALS week at my university. Not much happiness going on at my end, but I’m trucking through it. Right after my last final from 3-6pm this Friday, I am heading straight to Bishop! I might get a couple hours of sleep before I have to hike up to the Druids for some crack-of-dawn climbing. Mental exhaustion will feel less nocicepctive if I add physical exhaustion to the mix, right? Oh, Pontereticulospinal Tract don’t fail me now. Should be a great time. If anyone is heading out to the Eastern Sierras next weekend, see you there! I’ll be there until the 17th of this month.

Stay Psyched & Climb ON!

–> Natalie Duran

Malibu Summer Camping

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Every summer we take a big group out to Malibu Creek State Park. I am the ring leader of this collection of loud rambunctious college kids. My main goal: Make sure they don’t kill me, themselves or everyone/thing surrounding them. This year 26 people attended this climbing/camping trip, which reasonable compared to last year’s trip of ~40 bodies.

Even though we climbed on a Thursday, the Rock Pool area was PACKED. I’ve never seen this place so populated. I was surprised some of those hefty persons were tolerant enough to take the hike in, props bru. I honestly don’t know why people willingly swim in that abnormally warm, murky green water. The location of the creek isn’t adjacent to a fresh mountain spring. You should think something is sketchy when underwater rocks are covered with a green slimy moss. Not to mention the graveyard of crayfish carcases spread around. Also, the beach is literally 7min away; but not sure if the beach is any cleaner. Due to sewage runoff just a few miles off shore. Sick bra.

To get to the climbing crag you have to traverse [5.3 & 5.5] over deep murky water. There was stacks on stacks of people heading to the climbing area, it became a miserable traffic jam. Try not to fall behind a newbie climber, you might have to lock off on wet rock. Don’t fall in, or you can kiss all your gear and your beloved iPhone goodbye. No FB check in for you! Below you can see the clusterf*** out on the right. NONETHELESS of my criticism for the area, I think the area is really beautiful and has a decent selection of sport climbs.

After setting up a few top ropes for the beginners, I jumped on a few routes for myself. Urban Struggle is my favourate climb for the Ghetto Wall Area. I love any chance where I can grab an undercling, hike my feet high up, and reach baby reach!

The end of the climbing day didn’t end so well. The route I climbed lowered onto a large pool of water. Pulling down the rope from the anchors was tricky. Apparently i’m no good at magic trickery, because I got both tips of my rope drenched in that microbe water. Had to dry it out when we got back to camp.

The Highlight of the trip was the camping. Last year we reserved the group site. Where we could be as loud as we wanted. We didn’t piss anyone off because the group site was secluded from the camp host by a half a mile. It was also divided by a nice big hill that absorbs sounds well. Unfortunately that site was booked months in advance on the day we wanted. So we had to settle with three conjoined campsites. I tried to pick the sites furthermost away form the host, and innocent families… still, no site was far enough.

Our middle site was the best, we had a huge tree to set up camp under. A few of the guys slept in hammocks high off the ground. Alex brought his generator and lights, under the starry night our site looked like a fun circus tree tent.

We had two amazing chefs who cooked food for all of us. Brian and Alex, you guys are amazing!


Overall, another great trip out with friends and VA members. It was the perfect way to enjoy a SoCal Summer. Another tradition we have with our Malibu trips (before everyone separates) we have to drive to O Dae San for Korean BBQ in Downtown LA! We got the entire top floor to ourselves, because our party was so large, nom nom fest.

Enjoy summer everyone! & Climb on

*note* If you want to leave a comment, please try to leave it with the facebook box! SPAM comments on this hosting site is heinous. Thanks!

–> Natalie Duran

Malibooyah

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I love groups on Facebook. There are a couple facebook groups that involve awesome people in SoCal who post open invites for outdoor climbing partners. So my friend Aaron and I hit up Malibu Creek State Park yesterday! The weather was absolutely perfect. Warm sun with a cool canyon beach breeze flowing throughout the whole area. I wish I could 4D the picture below. Absolutely fantastic.

Sooooo…. I’ve been bouldering nonstop since last year. This is the first time in a WHILE I got on ropes. Fought the anxiety and balled up to get on lead. We went to Ghetto Wall area. Warmed up just fone fine on Kathmandu [10a], sloppily did Johnny Can’t lead [11a] first go, and then took a few good falls but finished Ground Zero [12a], which is the picture below. Even though I tried 3 routes, I still got pretty wiped after every attempt. I desperately wanted to get on Urban Struggle [12b]. I’ve climbed it before, wanted the red-point… but there was no way brah.

Lets just say, anything more than 5+ moves… kicks my ass. I definitely need some time to build up my endurance. It’s so frustrating knowing I can do the moves, but it wont go if your forearms are screaming mercy! Nonetheless i’m really glad I got on the wall finally. Cant wait to get more routes in.

Fighting past anxiety, gettin’ on ropes & takin’ whips… whith a smile on.



We were walking back to the car when we got halted by a film crew. In that marching crew was actor Eric Roberts Golden Globe & Academy Award nominee, is what were told lol. You know your in LA when you get pushed back from walking, so you don’t “interrupt the shot”

Stay Psyched & Climb on!

-Natalie Duran