Jason Kehl and Abbey Smith have just been given the key to So iLL.
Watch as the adventure unfolds and the fall weather peaks.
{mosimage}
With
endless sandstone, hard projects and beautiful classics they're
bound to have a good time. Enjoy Part 1 and stay tuned for more videos.
{mosimage}
The Key to So Ill
New River Gorge, WV
One of the greatest climbing resources the US has sits in West Virginia, with rock that feels a bit like the UK's gritstone, and a little like the Shawangunks, all formed in walls set high off of the Valley floor and obscured by a forest.
An easy four hour drive from the Red River Gorge, The New has been a center of American rock climbing for decades. However, it gets relatively little attention in the climbing media. Not sure why this is, other than its laid back climber population aren't the type to demand attention to every ascent. Or maybe its the location; far from the media-rich areas like Colorado and Utah, just far enough away to keep people in their local areas.
Who knows. All I know is, this place is incredible. Some of the best rock I've seen, with massive 160 foot+ walls all over the place, interesting, technical climbing and some of the friendliest locals you'll ever meet.
{mosimage}
On the cover of Steve Cater's New River Guidebook, Quinsana Plus is a New River icon. As you descend the Honeymooners Ladders, you see this beauty standing proud and inviting. If you're a climber, you just have to try it. If not this season, someday.
Daila was enamored from the first time she saw it on the book, and set about jumping on it immediately. Her power and grace were in full effect, and even after the creepy mantle at the end... well, as she said, "mi encanta".
-MC
An easy four hour drive from the Red River Gorge, The New has been a center of American rock climbing for decades. However, it gets relatively little attention in the climbing media. Not sure why this is, other than its laid back climber population aren't the type to demand attention to every ascent. Or maybe its the location; far from the media-rich areas like Colorado and Utah, just far enough away to keep people in their local areas.
Who knows. All I know is, this place is incredible. Some of the best rock I've seen, with massive 160 foot+ walls all over the place, interesting, technical climbing and some of the friendliest locals you'll ever meet.
{mosimage}
On the cover of Steve Cater's New River Guidebook, Quinsana Plus is a New River icon. As you descend the Honeymooners Ladders, you see this beauty standing proud and inviting. If you're a climber, you just have to try it. If not this season, someday.
Daila was enamored from the first time she saw it on the book, and set about jumping on it immediately. Her power and grace were in full effect, and even after the creepy mantle at the end... well, as she said, "mi encanta".
-MC
Red River Gorge-Lucifer
At the Red River Gorge, projects are bolted and no red tags hang, and there are so many projects on these walls that taking too much time on one route feels like a waste.
Chris Sharma had tried a route called Lucifer and in his typical style, didn't do a whole lot of working of the route. He'd do a section, get stumped, fall, work it out and keep going. Not a lot of micro beta work; just getting the moves done and moving on.
It is a route that Mike Doyle did earlier this year (or maybe last year?), with a hard bouldery bottom section followed by a good rest, to a 5.13 upper headwall, sequential and pumpy.
{mosimage}
So his second time on the route, he was psyched to put it to rest. He started up with me filming, climbing in fits and starts, looking up and trying to remember the deal, unsure of little things like "footholds" and trying to grab the holds the right way. It was classic Chris, just winging it, determined to do it by the skin of his teeth, seemingly for his own amusement. Sure, he could have worked the hell out of it, but it's only 14c, right? Seems like something you should be able to do in a few tries, the less beta the better.
-MC
Chris Sharma had tried a route called Lucifer and in his typical style, didn't do a whole lot of working of the route. He'd do a section, get stumped, fall, work it out and keep going. Not a lot of micro beta work; just getting the moves done and moving on.
It is a route that Mike Doyle did earlier this year (or maybe last year?), with a hard bouldery bottom section followed by a good rest, to a 5.13 upper headwall, sequential and pumpy.
{mosimage}
So his second time on the route, he was psyched to put it to rest. He started up with me filming, climbing in fits and starts, looking up and trying to remember the deal, unsure of little things like "footholds" and trying to grab the holds the right way. It was classic Chris, just winging it, determined to do it by the skin of his teeth, seemingly for his own amusement. Sure, he could have worked the hell out of it, but it's only 14c, right? Seems like something you should be able to do in a few tries, the less beta the better.
-MC
More Articles...
Page 16 of 96