Tag Archives: trad climbing

My Religion…

Posted on by

Spent this past Sunday paying homage to the rock Gods with a day up in Idyllwild, CA. This quaint little town is home to Suicide & Tahquitz Rock. It’s a mini-Yosemite with mutipitch trad, and “sh*t your pants” run out slab routes. I went back to revisit one of my favorite lines up in Suicide Rock, Flower of High Rank.

The night before, I took roll call for my gear. It’s always good to occasionally clean and check your gear as the lot. Sadly, for some reason one cordelette and a locker was missing from my lot.

Even though 70% of my climb time consists of bouldering, I still have an unreasonable passion for plugging gear. I will have to admit that I am in no way an alpine endurance athlete. The 40 minute uphill hike to the base kicked my butt. It has been a while since I was back in Idyllwild. So today after the hike I needed a full days rest to heal.

Earlier this year a good friend and climbing partner got in a really horrible trad accident, while I was belaying him. Thankfully he is now fully healed. Even though I wasn’t physically hurt, it was mentally shocking experiencing it. It took me a while to ease back into roped climbing. Yesterday was my first time back leading up with gear. I’ve done Flower of High Rank late last year, and cruised up the thing. This time was different. I definitely had a different mind set while leading. I was getting frustrated with myself taking hangs, but I just needed time to ease back into it all. Thankfully I didn’t hit any freak out moment where I had succumb to bailing out. Eventually I finished the pitches, and gained that feeling of passion I’ve been masking with fear for a while. Can’t wait to get back out there and lead more with them thar widget wedges.

Keep a right mindset & climb on everyone!

-Natalie Duran

Officially lost my lust for Bear Grylls

Posted on by

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

~eeee

Posted on by

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